“Designs of Duty,” an exhibit featuring East Central Illinois veterans and their service-related tattoos, will be on display at Booth Library on the campus of Eastern Illinois University from Jan. 22 through May 11, 2018.
“Designs of Duty” tells the stories of seven military veterans who served our country over a 45-year period throughout Asia and Europe. Veterans featured in the exhibit are Eric Hiltner and Wilson Reynolds of Charleston, Ken Fernandes of Newman, Random Clavin of Nokomis, Adam Griffy of Olney, Shane Wright of Shelbyville and Lyle Gordon of Towanda.
Tattoos are a common symbol among the military, and this exhibit aims to explore the inspiration and meanings behind them, as well as the stories of the veterans themselves. Pride, patriotism and honor are common themes in the artwork chosen by the veterans showcased in “Designs of Duty.”
Related exhibits on display include military flags; “Symbols of Service,” featuring University of Illinois student veterans; aircraft nose art from World War II to today; Vietnam War helmet graffiti; and literature and poetry during wartime.
“Designs of Duty” is free and open to the public. For more information visit http://library.eiu.edu/exhibits/designsofduty/.
Booth Library’s regular hours are 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 1 a.m. Sunday. For more information on the library, visit the website, www.library.eiu.edu; call 581-6072; or find the library on Facebook or Twitter.
