As he put the finishing touches on the final 11 of 38 bronze figures that tell the captivating story of a World War I hero's journey, master sculptor Sabin Howard can feel his purpose of giving to a "construction" amid so much "destruction."
When the massive 58-foot-long and 10-foot-wide memorial that weighs 25 tons makes its debut as the sun sets at 7:19 p.m. on Sept. 13 in Pershing Park, Washington, D.C., visitors will go on a journey through five distinct scenes that follow a soldier's journey.
Before the artwork's frieze — that narrates a man who leaves his family behind, joins his brothers in arms, charges into battle, sees the horrific costs of war, and returns home, where he hands his helmet to his child — were assembled on site, the pieces went on their own three-week adventure across the Atlantic Ocean.
That's because Howard spent the last several months working at a foundry in the United Kingdom that specializes in bronze sculptures.
Long before the people in the scene were cast, literally, Howard cast actual veterans to pose as models. He snapped upward of 12,000 photographs of live models in various poses in "burst mode" on his iPhone.
After spending hours with veterans who helped inspire the piece of art and seeing what he calls a "movie in bronze" come to life, he feels like he has a "very important purpose."
"This is a really good thing," he said of the memorial. "It gives back to the people."
As monuments and memorials have been desecrated nationwide, Howard fears that American history is being destroyed as people try to "redefine what it is."
In delivering what will serve as a memorial for the 4.7 million Americans who served in WWI and the 116,516 who died in battle, Howard said he is all about creating a piece dedicated to "unifying our country."
He points out that the women, children, and soldiers featured on the memorial are "all American" and represent "who we are."
"Culture is the umbrella that holds this country together," he said. "I am really proud I made something for the history of this country."
He spent 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in his Englewood, N.J., studio sculpting with clay and tools of yesteryear for months before the casting and assembling process began.
Once the final pieces arrive, a crane will help place them and the figures will be attached to the stone in the park.
Newsmax magazine asked Howard about his work:
Newsmax: How were you approached about contributing to the World War I Memorial?
Sabin Howard: It was a global competition and there were 360 entries. I entered the process not knowing what lay ahead, but I made the final five because I presented something very different from all the others.
How did you become an artist?
My mother is Italian and my father is American and I was exposed to Italian Renaissance art as a child growing up in Italy, but being an artist was not something my family expected me to do as a career. Later my family moved to New York City and one day I quit my job as a furniture maker and told my father I wanted to be an artist. I went to art school and then did private sculptures for 35 years.
What does the sculpture depict?
It's a timeline of fighting in World War I and passing on World War II to the next generation. World War I marks the change from a divine and sacred order, the end of God and the beginning of the modern age of alienation and nihilism. That is the marker. The last scene is the dad returns home and hands his daughter the helmet and she is the next generation of World War II.
The sculpture is not supposed to depict anyone famous, but rather an ordinary man who goes to fight in the war, leaving behind his family. The story comes from the philosopher, Joseph Campbell, and his idea of a hero's journey. The sculpture is made from 30 feet cast and bronze, which is half of the 60 total feet. Each part of the sculpture is made to symbolize something besides just the story itself. In the cost of war section, the falling of the soldier is supposed to represent a similarity to the famous Pieta, the statue of Mary holding Jesus on display at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.
What was the hardest part of making the sculpture?
Going through the committee system and bureaucracy of Washington D.C., and having to go to meetings month after month with people uninterested in culture.
What advice would you give to someone who is looking to be an artist?
It's not easy now with technology taking over. Machines are making art for humans. Resources are limited. I wanted to show the country and world what's possible.
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