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News Release

Contact: Peter Van Ael, Jack Olson Gallery
(815) 753-4521

November 7, 2005

Jack Olson Gallery's ‘Black Box'
to benefit hurricane relief efforts

DeKalb — A semi-annual event first intended merely to fill space in the Jack Olson Gallery's calendar is taking on a greater significance this week.

“Black Box: Displacement,” an exhibition and silent auction held Tuesday, Nov. 8, through Thursday, Nov. 10, at the Northern Illinois University art gallery will feature works inspired by the recent hurricanes that ravaged much of the South.

All proceeds from the silent auction, which closes at 6 p.m. Thursday, will benefit the Southern Arts Federation Emergency Relief Fund. The federation established the fund to assist arts organizations and artists residing in Gulf Coast communities most devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

Hours at the gallery inside the Art Building on Lucinda Avenue are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The closing reception takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday.

“It just seemed appropriate to tie Black Box into hurricane relief and the Southern Arts Federation and their activities,” said Peter Van Ael, the gallery's coordinator. “Ultimately, Black Box serves as a metaphor for an individualized response to the events of the hurricane as they unfolded, their media coverage and the aftermath.”

Artists expected to participate include many faculty, staff and students of the NIU School of Art, as well as artists from DeKalb County, Elgin Community College and high school art teachers. In addition to works of art up for auction, local businesses are contributing gift certificates while NIU Athletics made available a package of four football tickets and the Hollinger Corp. donated three archival storage boxes.

For more information, call the gallery at (815) 753-4521.

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