Chicago Library Displays Art Exhibition Commemorating Fallen Soldiers of Vietnam War

Other than The Wall in Washington, D.C., The Harold Washington Library in downtown Chicago becomes the only other site to host a memorial featuring every single soldier killed in the Vietnam War. “Above and Beyond” features over 58,307 replica dog tags placed one inch apart on a 410-square foot rectangular structure above the third floor escalator of the library. A lone black dog tag sits amongst the others to commemorate those who were killed in relation to other conditions related to the war. The art installation took 2 years to complete as each dog tag was hand-stamped using a former military Graphotype machine. Completed back in 2001 by veteran artists Ned Broderick, Rick Steinbock, Joe Fornelli, and Mike Helbing, it was originally housed at Chicago’s National Veterans Art Museum before renovations has forced its move to the Library Center earlier this year. The exhibit is viewable from all sides of the third floor where natural light from a panel of large windows provide a sombering effect to the magnitude of American lives lost during the war. “Above and Beyond” will remain on display at the Library Center until 2020.