30 Pieces of Poignant and Uncensored Art by U.S. Veterans of War.

above: Autobiography (02) by Maurice Costello

In honor of Veteran's Day, I wanted to share with you some very personal and intimate art pieces from the National Veterans Art Museum in Chicago. The National Veterans Art Museum inspires greater understanding of the real impact of war with a focus on Vietnam. The museum collects, preserves and exhibits art inspired by combat and created by veterans. The pieces express their experiences through photography, sculpture, paintings, drawings and mixed media.

Please note: The work in this museum- and shown here- was made by veterans of war and the depictions of their experience is poignant and uncensored.

Good Morning PTSD by Christopher Arendt:

Real Life Souvenirs by Jay Burnham-Kidwell:

Towers (1) by Victoria Bryers:

Exiles on Main Street by Elgin Carver:

Title Unknown by Ronald Doc Cook:

58,000 Plus by John Dell:

Angel In The Desert by Marcus Eriksen:

(un)clothed and in her right mind by Iris Feliciano:

Aftermath by Michael Gottschalk:

Orphan III by Bill Hackwell:

In the Jar of Mars by Michael Helbing:

Where the Publisher Meets the Writer by Jay Burton Hellwege:

Tourist Photographs from Iraq - This is How I Wanted to See Myself by Aaron Hughes:

Fascinating Vietnam by William Hoin:

Memory of a Conflict by Louis Janetta:

Blown Away by Richard Lindsay:

Seventeen Months, Twenty-Nine Days by Grady C. Myers:

Early Out by Scott Neistadt:

Morphene, Anyone by Neal Pollack:

Mending by Scott Rogers:

The Wall by Michael Rumery:

Anguish by Bruce A. Sommer:

Together Separately by Anthony Stetina:

They Also Serve (POW) by Gary Tillery:

Prayer Boots by John Turner:

Head by Gregory Van Maanen:

Diptych Self Portrait by Kimo Williams:

This is How You Died by Richard Yohnka:

Punji Trap Wound by Bernie Zawiki:

Autobiography Installation by Maurice Costello:

The above pieces only represent a few of the works within the museum. You can view the online collection here.

God Bless all the brave men and women who give of themselves for the rest of us and this country. Thank You.

all images courtesy of the NVAM Collection Online website © 2012 - National Veterans Art Museum

Steampunk Meets The Terminator In 2 New Confederate Motorcycles

I wrote a long and informative post about the raw and rugged luxury motorcycles by Confederate last October.

Since then they've improved their B120 Wraith and introduced the radical looking, part steampunk, part Terminator P120 Fighter Combat just this past month at the Quail Motorsports Gathering in Carmel during the world-renowned Pebble Beach car week.

Images below are from the unveiling of both the 2010 B120 Wraith and the 2010 P120 Fighter Combat at the Pebble Beach Concours D'elegance courtesy of Autoblog (who, in their gallery, mistakenly titled the images of the Wraith as the P120 Fighter and did not distinguish between the two bikes):

The 2010 P120 Fighter:






The 2010 B120 Wraith:





Concours D'elegance photos by Frank Filipponio / Weblogs, Inc.

THE FIGHTER

As with previous Confederate models, the new Fighter is big on power and aesthetics. Incorporating a massive 120cu motor (1966cc) into a lightweight aluminum frame, producing claimed 145 pounds-feet of torque and 160 rear wheel horsepower, the agile and powerful machine is said to take Confederate’s hallmark design to new heights.

Made primarily from aircraft-grade aluminum, the exposed inner workings of this bike make it look like a terminator itself. The radial-twin engine puts out 160 horsepower and the P120 is equipped with 4-piston Brembo brakes to handle the power. On their site, they claim that 120 of these bikes will be produced, carrying an 'introductory' price of $72,000. However, conflicting reports from The Concours D'elegance say that only 25 will be produced, two a month.

CAD renderings of the P120 Fighter Combat:



Described by Confederate Motorcycles:
The Fighter clarifies opaqueness and nullifies hype with straight-forward true to concept certitude. At the source is a classic right triangle. Proportion is classically derived. Scale is middle way. Bearing exudes structural permanence. Human integration deploys yang energy, vitality, and power in the most simple, pure and direct form. Geometry is optimized for the medium and/or long disciplined journey of sensory heightened motion.

Torque to weight is maximized. Engine, suspension and ergonomic luxury and ease of use is optimized. Materials utilization is the finest. Individual piece and component specification is highest and best. Craft preparation and specification is uncompromised. The aesthetic is fresh, industrial, sculptural, holistic and honest. The saddle of the Fighter is your place for those outings which require extended time, geography, meditation and distance.




Here's a video of the first build of the bike:
 

P120 Fighter Combat Specs:
ENGINE: Radial twin / 120 cubic inches POWER: Rear wheel torque - 135 ft lbs | Rear wheel horse power - 160 DIMENSIONS: Wheel Base: 64 inches; Seat Height: 27 inches; Rake: 30 degrees; Trail: 4 inche; Weight: 460 lbs; Fuel: 4 gallons; Oil: 4.5 quarts CHASSIS: CM design triple load path 6061 aircraft grade aluminum monocoque backbone, bulkhead, fuselage side plate construction; oil/fuel in frame SWINGARM: CM design 6061 aircraft grade aluminum FRONT END: CM design double wishbone machined from 6061 aircraft grade aluminum linked to aerodynamic dual lightweight tubular wing blades PRIMARY: CM design; machined from 6061 aircraft grade aluminum; belt drive TRANSMISSION: CM design vertical close ratio 5 speed SUSPENSION: Race tech; low/high speed compression and rebound adjustable BRAKES: Brembo high output race derived 4 piston technology; radial pumps; carbon, ceramic, aluminum matrix lightweight discs WHEELS: CM design carbon fiber; Front: 19” x 3” Rear: 18” x 8” GAUGES: Precision integrated analogue meter; warning, speed, RPM IDENTIFICATION: Limited edition; each example is one of 120; fuselage, bulkhead, engine VIN

Motorcycling Magazine has a nice comprehensive review of the bike and can be found here.

The B120 Wraith:
 

The tech specs of the Wraith:  

About Confederate Motors
Founded in 1991 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana by Matt Chambers, Confederate Motors designs and handcrafts limited edition motorcycles for the serious motoring aficionado. The Company set out to create machines utilizing a holistic, avant-garde process to embody their philosophy. The antithesis of mass production, their bespoke creations embody the credo "Art of Rebellion", where preconceptions are purposefully rejected and innovation embraced. In our uncompromising approach to excellence, Confederate has adopted a distinctive, minimalist work model with the goal to be on the cutting-edge of performance and world design. As the winner of numerous international awards and holder of an AMA world speed record, Confederate Motors is proud to be at the forefront of the American motorcycle industry, with offices located in Birmingham, Alabama.

For additional information on Confederate Motors and our F131 Hellcat, B120 Wraith or P120 Fighter motorcycles, visit http://www.Confederate.com  

all CAD renderings, video, Wraith photos, bike specs and company info courtesy of Confederate. If you didn't see my previous post on Confederate Motorcycles, be sure to check it out here since it includes images of their other amazing bikes.