Back in the World: Portraits of Wisconsin Vietnam Veterans December 30, 2009

Nearly 30 large-format color portrait photographs will be on view at the Museum in the exhibition 'Back in the World: Portraits of Wisconsin Vietnam Veterans.' As part of its Wisconsin Stories project, Wisconsin Public Television has produced documentaries about Wisconsin veterans experiences in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. During production of the Vietnam project (to air in 2010), photographer James Gill took portraits of the veterans who participated in the documentary as a tribute to their service. These photographs provide insight into the veterans' memories and experiences, which they carry long after the war ends. The scale and presence of the images, combined with brief excerpts of interviews with their subjects, place them in a long tradition of art that delivers a powerful social message.