Features

In Photos: American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial

By Wade Carey on November 11, 2014

This past Sunday, November 9th, I was pleased and honored to be invited to join Washington DC sculptor Larry Kirkland as he provided a small group of friends and associates with an on-site introduction to the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial. This newly dedicated memorial is located at 150 Washington Avenue SW, at the foot of Capitol Hill across from the Bartholdi Park section of the US Botanic Garden.

From his foundry in Walla Walla, Washington, Larry created massive bronze plate silhouette cut-out sculptures that are mounted alongside the glass photo and quotation inscription walls of the memorial. Here are my photographs and also several photographs that Larry provided with the kind permission of photographer Craig Collins. I am looking forward soon to an East City Art profile conversation with Larry where we can talk about his work process at the memorial and elsewhere.

Photo by Craig Collins. Used with permission. Bethal White Vermont granite is used for the walls on the northwest and southeast sides of the memorial.

Photo by Wade Carey for East City Art. The bronze sculptures are placed closely against the backs of the glass walls where light constantly changes their interaction with the images of the photographs.

Photo by Wade Carey for East City Art. The reflecting pools have special sound designs incorporated into the water flow systems to help mask surrounding traffic noise.

Photo by Wade Carey for East City Art. Larry Kirkland here explains how the reflections in the pool can affect the images, as shown below, where a sculpture behind the glass wall may seem more present in reflection than what faces the viewer directly.

Photo by Wade Carey for East City Art.

Photo by Wade Carey for East City Art. In the beginning of the design process, Larry worked to select appropriate photographs to highlight the interplay between glass and bronze. Here a silhouette image of a soldier with a crutch appears against the translucent plane of an image from Arlington Cemetery.

Photo by Wade Carey for East City Art.

Photo by Wade Carey for East City Art. Ginkgo trees which were planted here at the memorial are known to shed their leaves almost always right around Veteran’s Day.

Photo by Wade Carey for East City Art.

Photo by Craig Collins. Used with permission. As these photographs by Craig Collins show, the inscribed quotations glow in the changing light of day as the glass takes on its own light as the sky’s light fades.