By Aliza Flug, Layout Editor and Social Media Manager and Racheli Jian, Senior Arts and Culture Editor and Layout Editor
We often use art to memorialize human experiences. It can be an iconic portrait like the Mona Lisa or used to inspire a social movement like “Rosie the Riveter.” Art has also been used to mark certain points in history through war memorials. One of the earliest memorials in America is the Lexington Revolutionary War Monument, which commemorates the freedom that the U.S. fought for during the Revolutionary War against the British. Located in Lexington, MA, the memorial is only a few states and a couple hundred years away from the most recent war monument. On September 13, Pershing Park unveiled an inspiring memorial dedicated to those who served in World War I.
The 25-ton bronze sculpture, A Soldier’s Journey, consists of 38 separate sculptures combined to create a composition depicting the journey of a single World War I soldier. The artist, Sabin Howard, describes the sculpture as “a film in bronze.” Although each figure represents a different moment in the soldier’s life, they interact with each other and create a cohesive story.
On the left, the first scene depicts a soldier preparing to go to war while a young girl, presumably his daughter, hands him a helmet. The last scene shows the soldier giving the helmet back to the girl, which not only ties the story together, but also represents the start of the Second World War with the next generation heading off to fight a mere twenty years later.
When looking at the sculpture, the visuals communicate strong emotions. In order to accurately depict the struggles of war, Howard used U.S. military veterans as models for his artwork. He came to this decision after beginning with young adults and college students, but quickly realized that he couldn’t accurately portray the severe anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that is a prevalent factor in a soldier’s military experience. He wanted the memorial to accurately convey all the complex emotions which often come up during one’s military career. Another reason he wanted to include veterans in the process was because he did not want to glamorize war. The sculpture needed to be as authentic to the sentiment of a war-torn person as possible.
In a recent interview, Howard talks about his reasoning for creating this piece. After growing up in both the U.S. and Italy, he felt that he wouldn’t have been able to become such a great artist had he not studied art in America. Grateful for the opportunities America provided him, Howard created this piece of art as a token of appreciation for the World War I soldiers who ultimately allowed him to have these opportunities.
All the emotions and authenticity surrounding the piece begs the question, why is this the first World War I Memorial? In 2007, Frank Buckles, who at the time was the last surviving American Veteran of World War I, pushed Congress to establish a World War I Memorial. There hadn’t been one created despite the existence of World War II and Vietnam War memorials. Ultimately, after Buckles passed away, and with the pressure of the World War I Centennial looming, a commission to organize a memorial was approved.
In 2013, an Act of Congress formed the U.S. World War One Centennial Commission. This group held a competition between artists to decide who would design one of the main sculptures as part of the memorial to be unveiled in 2021. In 2017, at the ground breaking in Pershing Park, it was announced that the winning sculptor Sabin Howard would be in charge of this project.
This monument seeked to honor not only the soldiers of World War I but also the people of America that experienced the pain and troubles that come with any war. Howard made a unique decision to focus on one soldier rather than a whole squad or platoon. He aimed to hone in on the humanity of the people who fought for our country. The monument showcases the parts of them that made them a person, not just the parts that made them a soldier.
Photo Caption: A Soldier’s Journey
Photo Credit: NPS Photo / Wikimedia Commons