The Saint Louis Stop
Tuesday, March 31 was a busy day of programming for the Contemporary. Around noon, the Winnebago for Jeremy Deller’s project: It Is What It Is: Conversations About Iraq pulled up in front of the Vintage Vinyl record 
store in the Delmar Loop area—pulling behind it a wreckage of a car that was bombed in Baghdad in 2007. Visiting St. Louis were Artist Jeremy Deller who conceived of the project, Jonathan Harvey (an Iraq war veteran and recently demobilized Psychological Operations platoon sergeant), and Esam Pasha (an Iraqi refugee, artist, and former translator for the Chief Advisor in the British Embassy of Baghdad). Also on the trip were Nato Thompson from Creative Time, Benjamin Brown (documentary extraordinaire) and Lonnie Cooper (road manager). They provided a forum 
where they encouraged unrehearsed discussions about Iraq in a non partisan open atmosphere. It was great to see active soldiers currently serving our country engage in discussions about the present circumstance and the future of Iraq. More can be read about on their excellent blog.
After being on the Loop at the Vintage Vinyl from 12–5 pm, the discussion continued at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis 6-8 pm. We also want to thank Matt Strauss of White Flag Projects who hosted the St. Louis style BBQ to feed our tired traveled visiting guests. We also owe much thanks to the unofficial mayor of the Loop Joe Edwards of Blueberry Hill for making this day go so smoothly.
