Artist Talk: Presence in Absence - Veterans, Memory, and the Work of Remembering

Creative Legion is housed in the former post to American Legion Post 184 — one of the earliest and oldest posts in the country. Today, the building continues to serve as a gathering space. Join Inbal Abergil and Lexa Walsh for a conversation exploring how contemporary art engages veterans, grief, and collective memory. Abergil’s decade-long body of work interlaces the stories of Gold Star Families with still lifes of personal effects and portraits of Casualty Notification Officers, revealing layered trauma and examining how memory endures through objects and those who bear witness. Walsh’s immersive installations respond to military history through ceramic “decorations,” sound, and social engagement, asking who is valued — and how we remember. The conversation will be moderated by Ashley Gilbertson, whose long-term engagement with war and its aftermath includes Bedrooms of the Fallen, a series documenting the preserved bedrooms of U.S. service members. With more than two decades of work focused on conflict, migration, and the human consequences of war, Gilbertson brings a deeply informed and compassionate perspective to this dialogue. In a space shaped by military history and now dedicated to creative community, this gathering invites reflection, dialogue, and shared witness. Veterans and military families are warmly welcome. Conversation followed by audience Q&A, book signing, and viewing of select works available for acquisition. RSVP is required. Admission is free.