For Immediate Release:
Elizabeth S. Young, Executive Director                                    May 25, 2016
Florida Keys Council of the Arts

Opening Reception for Exhibit: INNOCENT SOULS: VIETNAM 1968

The Florida Keys Council of the Arts presents a photographic exhibition, “Innocent Souls: Vietnam 1968” and “Yesterday’s Kids: Reflections” as part of their Art in Public Buildings Program.

The exhibition of images, both black and white and in color, captured by 1st Lieutenant Glenn Hoover in the Republic of South Vietnam in 1968, are on display at the historic Gato Building June through September, 2016.  Open to the public, Mondays – Fridays, 8am -5pm except for holidays, at 1100 Simonton Street, Key West.  Join the Council, the artist and curator for the opening reception in the lobby on Friday, June 3rd from 5:00 – 7:00 pm.
 
This project is sponsored in part by an Arts Council ArtReach Grant, the State of Florida, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the National Endowment for the Arts and The Waypoint Foundation.

Featuring photographs captured in 1968 during the peak of the conflict known by Americans as the Vietnam War and by Vietnamese as the American War – one gets a glimpse of life as a soldier on duty.  After sitting as slides in Glenn’s closet for over 43 years, the images have taken on a new life enlarged and printed on canvas.

 “Yesterday’s Kids: Reflections” is a new series by Lt. Hoover of contemporary portraits of people who served and those who protested. It includes first person commentary about what they did, how it may have changed them, and their reflections today.

Glenn arrived in Vietnam in January 1968 through a series of voluntary choices, based on beliefs of service to his country instilled in him by his father. Glenn, an Army ROTC graduate of Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, received a Silver Star, Bronze Star “V” Device, Army Commendation Medal and Combat Infantryman’s Badge. He worked years in the hospitality industry, owns Glenn Hoover Real Estate and lives fulltime in Key Largo.

According to Clarice Yentsch, the curator and President of the Waypoint Foundation, Inc, “It is not the intent of this exhibition to be a documentary, nor to pass any moral judgments about this period. It is a series of snap shots taken during a brief moment, by one person. If there is one question to contemplate, it would be “What do we owe these people, not just our own sons and daughters who participated but others who were involved?”  It is left to the observer to look through the eyes and into the souls of the subjects in hope that the images stir thought and encourage contemplation. If this happens, we will consider the exhibition a success.”

The exhibition is dedicated to Marine Captain Jerry Zimmer, Glenn’s high school classmate and football teammate.  A F4 Phantom jet pilot, he was shot down while on a mission August 29th, 1969 in the mountainous Central Highlands of South Vietnam.  Classified as an MIA, his wife Elaine continues an effort to locate his remains and “bring Jerry home.”  A longtime writer, Elaine has chronicled her labor-of-love mission in an ongoing blog, www.bringingjerryhome.com.  She welcomes all visitors to Jerry’s site for an insider’s look at their journey to repatriate his remains and hopefully for Elaine to find long-awaited closure at last.
The Arts Council is most proud to host Glenn, Clarice and the Waypoint Foundation to share this important exhibit. The Gato building, home to State and County offices, supports the Art in Public Buildings program which offers an alternate space for artists to display their work. The Florida Keys Council of the Arts supports visual, literary and performing artists and cultural organizations throughout the Keys with several grant programs and scholarships.  We connect artists to each other and to their audiences.

1100 Simonton Street – Friday, June 3 -5:00-7:00 pm 
OPENING RECEPTION:  with wine and treats & free parking.
For more information on the Exhibition visit the web site www.InnocentSoulsVietnam.org or on
FaceBook www.facebook.com/InnocentSoulsVietnam1968

Elizabeth Young, Executive Director
Florida Keys Council of the Arts -   director@keysarts.com     

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