The Story Behind the Sculpture
by Marcus Eriksen
Veterans Day seems pointless, just a bunch of old vets telling war stories. There is no Hallmark set of instructions to hint at a gift you might submit to your favorite war hero. It’s partly a recycled holiday due to another, Armistice Day, rendered obsolete by time. To this veteran it has a point. It’s years of pride and pain softened to a plea.
On Feb. 24, 1991 a truck filled with a dozen marines making a steady B-line for Kuwait City stopped the convoy when I yelled, “Hey look a body!” The paralyzed figure of an Iraqi soldier lay 50 feet from the incinerated jeep he was blown from. His knees were bent, eyes and mouth open,and his intestines poured out from under his shirt. We were both covered with specks of oil from the fires nearby, and soaked by the rains that made me miserable, yet washed his face clean. Before he died he must have waved his arms, like the way kids make snow angels. He made wings in the sand. My angel in the desert.
I never forgot him, or the grimaced faces of the living ones missing arms and legs, or the piles of dead men at the Highway of Death. So two years ago I began a welding a sculpture of that angel. I began with an old uniform, fiberglass resin, and plenty of plaster to make molds. I lined the molds with 70,000 ball bearings,like the projectiles we kill each other with, and welded them together. It weighs roughly 300 lbs, but comes in two pieces, much like I found him.
On Nov. 11th, Veterans Day 2007, I will haul my sculpture to the beach in Santa Monica, California, below the pier next to the Arlington West Memorial. I will lay him on the beach and draw wings around his arms. I will tell the story to whoever asks, because now it is just a story, fully mourned and forgiven. I will share a plea with everyone to end the war in Iraq and tend to the victims with our time and money. A donation jar will collect funds for the Mehadi Foundation to send U.S. veterans to counseling retreats, and to help organizations in Iraq provide all-terrain wheelchairs for Iraqis.
My plea is for you to think of something good to do for someone else, veteran or not, then do it.
The sculpture will be on display next to the Arlington West Memorial on the north side of the Santa Monica Pier on Sunday, November 11th, Veterans Day 2007, from 9am until 5pm. Marcus Eriksen will be there to answer questions and offer copies of his book ‘My River Home’ to the public for a small donation. All proceeds will go to the Mehadi Foundation which provides assistance to veterans to attend counseling retreats and support organizations in Iraq providing relief aid to Iraqis.
Marcus mentioned in the text above that veterans day was armistice day recycled. i hadn’t realized that. other interesting history i’ve learned in the past 2 minutes here is that the day was not only intended as a day of respect for vets, but as “a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace”. i think the latter often gets lost in the pursuit of the former. in Marcus’s sculpture and plea, i see both balanced very nicely indeed.
…WWI, whose armistice went into effect on 11 Nov 1918.
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If you have a week, get and read a copy of Erik Maria Remarque’s All Quiet On The Western Front. That may provide some insight into the mantra that goes along the line of who would want to be the last man to die for a mistake?
…Tommy was scribed in 1890, a bit before WWI (1914-1918), and was an ode to British Imperialism.
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BTW, going down a bit to one of your comments below, it should be obvious to anyone paying attention that the USofA has been highly selective as to the “tyrants” that it chooses to take out. I’ll be interested in seeing what the US does with Gen. Pervez Musharraf, but I won’t be holding my breath.
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
pro patria mori.
Having done it twice, I would shun warfare if possible. On the other hand, there is in fact a time and a place, when you have to draw a line in the sand for, yourself, those you love and others. I should clarify that. I and the men I served with would draw a line in the sand. I have been witness all of my life to people who would run to the side of a trench and kneel down while someone put a round in the back of their head. I don’t think so.
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History and time and those we leave behind will judge us for our deeds and misdeeds, commissions and omissions. The fact that some allowed Adolph Hitler to do what he did will weigh very heavily on many peoples shoulders. I am of the opinion that Israel will not it to happen again.
As a veteran, I have to say that this sculpture is one of the most moving and compelling representations of the waste of war as any I’ve seen. There it fucking well IS.
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My unit brought back all sort of trophy photographs of charred remains that resembled this sculpture. I can barely look at it without wanting to wretch.
Kinda ruined the outside barecueing.
and prima facie evidence of the appalling arrogance and inhumanity of the Hoo RAH mentality of this nation’s military.
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Fortunately, most thoughtful vets are able to leave dirtbags like you behind.
…MCRD posts, do you? It has claimed to have had at least four careers, including the military.
at face value, but I have read several references to his Walter Mitty-like propensity for having been there and done that, so I suppose I shouldn’t put stock in anything he says.
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Thanks for the recalibration.
…who broke down the MCRD acronym: Me Cry Reality Detached. If I remember correctly.
A college age google monkey such as yourself, instead of needlessly deriding someone who has served, could easily learn what the acronym actually stands for.
Republicans are very pro-primate. Ask Ronnnie and Charlton:
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I think ol’ Moses is breaking one of the Ten Commandments in that second pic.
…you’re close enough. Although, I’d rather be called a monkey than a Republican, so I thank you for that.
Thanks for not letting the cat out of the bag!
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And—————Happy Birthday!
That’s right Raj.
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US Military, 30 years, Active and Reserve ( I left college in my senior year)
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Public employee (I saved lives)
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and last but not least
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RN (hospice)
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I did something with my life and spent it, in its entirety, in public service. And you Raj. How much of your life have you spent in public service? Let me guess. You are one of those folks employed by some multi national corporation screwing the little guy. You love to get on the soap box and pontificate, but when I was out in a blizzard, or up to my butt in mud in RVN, or comforting some aged person in their last moments, you sir were very likely sitting on you ass bitching about how unfair life was due to your present circumstance. People like you are laughable because you despise people like me who have spent their entire lives giving and we don’t sit around and crow about it or bemoan our lot in life. Granted you may have a wonderful education and are very bright, but you still dwell in some place bereft of sunlight .
Having served, but not during a time of conflict, I have the utmost respect and gratitude for those who did.
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Thank you and all BMGer’s who’ve worn the uniform.
every time I come across your posts, it’s the same sorry act.
You wrap yourself in the flag (no matter what the thread), and then proceed to denigrate anyone who doesn’t marvel at your Walter Mitty fantasies.
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I don’t have time or the stomach to go back through all of your claims and posts, but this one comes to mind.
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Back on June 25th, when you were waxing poetic about all of your war experiences, you gave us this:
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The only problem is, Jane Fonda wasn’t in Hanoi before 1972, which I pointed out to you. Yet like most bullshit artists, you just have to keep on spinning.
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You have to be pretty lame to hijack a thread about a vet who makes sculptures of his war experiences, and turn it into yet another chance to blow your own horn about what a great patriot you are.
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And just because I like you, here’s a link to Danger Zone Jobs, which is clearinghouse for all those high paying Halliburton and Blackwater jobs overseas. You and the rest of the keyboard commandos can sign up, go to Iraq, get paid big bucks, and post from there. You’re a little too old? No problem, plenty of positions available.
try to turn it into some kind of anti-war statement instead of letting the day be what it was intended to be- a day to remember and honor all the veterans who served our country?
The vast majority of these pacifists never served their country a day in their life but have no problem enjoying the freedoms that our veterans provide to them. It would be great to see them just shut their ingrateful yaps for just one day a year and honor our veterans without all the anti-war, anti- military crap. As a veteran, I certainly would appreciate that.
It’s that they are professional whiners and complainers.
They will not lift a finger to make a demonstrable positive contribution that involves sweat and sacrifice, but they will stand on a street corner and demean those who will. They will sit at a keyboard and bemoan every benefit and protection that our Constitution provides us yet will not serve a minute of public service. These are the same people who will decry slavery and they would be the first to refuse military service to free those slaves.
People like that are truly laughable.It speaks volumes that many of these twits seek out the occupations (read EDUCATORS)that provide them the greatest protection from thier cowardice.
…Hermann Goering http://www.snopes.co…
never served a minute? How about for your home country of Germany? Are you one of those that MCRD is referring to that has a big complaining mouth but microscopic balls when it comes time to defend his freedoms?… that hides under his bed while others secure his freedoms for him and then has the gall to belittle them from behind the anonymity and safety of his keyboard?? That ,dare we say it? is a coward?
Herr Goerings hometown no doubt.
…you should learn a little of geography.
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Wellesley MA is 12 miles west of Copley SQ. Lest anyone forget, Copley seems to be in the middle of Bahston.
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BTW, you don’t believe that anyone here really believes that you are a veteran to you? Not that anyone cares whether or not you are. Please try commenting on something substantive.
the sculptor was a marine. a hoo-rah marine too. your fellow veteran decided to make the day into a consideration of the suffering and waste associate with war. you may wish to ponder this, that among american veterans there are those who value all life, not just american life. there are those who wish to help the innocent people caught in the cross-fire of an economic war. he is one of your own. did you honor him yesterday too?
thing that distinguishes them is that they had the courage and honor to serve and therefore have earned the right to dissent. It is the spineless jellyfish who never served and do nothing but belittle our veterans who defend America that I find repulsive and nauseating. I also find it offensive that you refer to a “hoo-rah” marine. Do you know this man? How the hell do you know anything about him? Who are you to say anything about our military? Did you serve? Are YOU a veteran?
I have added not one word of my own to the post above. Those are all Marcus’s words,
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“Do you know this man?” Yes, he is a personal friend.
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“Did you serve?” Irrelevant, since I am not attacking the military in this post, but just passing along the thoughts of a retired marine.
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But I will go further and answer your pointed question anyway. The answer is no. I was not about to join the military when the military was ejecting gay people like me with dishonerable discharges. By the time the lame DADT came around I was too old. And anyway, DADT is still an enormous insult and worry to the LGBT people who serve. I refuse to accept that insult. The heterosexuals can die for me until they allow me to die openly with them. It’s that simple.
That should have been evident when it commented that my home country was Germany.
although Marcus is a friend, i want to emphasize that i am not trying to speak for him here. i am speaking for myself. this is why i left his words unedited and unamended in the diary above.
before DADT (the years i would have been enlisting), gay people were dishonorably discharged.
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with DADT, gay people outed by others get a regular discharge unless they are caught having sex. in that case, since only missionary position sex between a man and a women is sanctioned by the uniform code of military justice, they get a dishonerable discharge.
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being honest about yourself like the person of character that all soldiers are expected to be also earns you a dishonorable discharge.
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some soldiers have been maliciously outed by others and forced to leave the military even if they themselves have been silent on their sexual orientation.
Being an artist/sculptor, I was intrigued by Mr. Erikson’s competancy with the process, his conservative use of media, and by the raw emotion that he captured in steel.
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Sadly however, rather than offering the piece as a universal statement about the horror of war, he chose to offer it merely as an anti-war statement.
There’s a HUGE difference between the two.
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In my opinion, a potentially significant work, because of it’s unfortunate intent, has been rendered less meaningful and less thought-provoking, relegating it more into the realm of insult than art.
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On the upside – unlike most of us in the creative arena, Mr Erikson, I’m sure, will have no problem finding himself a wealthy patron.
this is the way you see it, fine. some will agree with you, others won’t. some will interpret it in ways he never even imagined. if you are indeed an artist, you must know this.
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i’d like to know how you see this as an anti-war statement. i see it as a plea for kindness, and as an anti-stupid needless war statement. does a plea for kindness equate with “anti-war”? i don’t think so necessarily. if you think it does here, i’d like to hear how you make that connection.
…a piece depicting happy, laughing children at play, you would probably be charmed by it.
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Were I, however, to entitle the work “Pedophiles Delight”, I’m quite certain that you would have a completely different opinion of my work, and of me.
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I have already stated my admiration for Mr. Erikson’s sculptural talent.
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If I could look at his well designed and expertly composed work, and see in my minds eye, a fallen soldier from any culture, from any conflict, then I, personally, would find it more meaningful.
Mr. Erikson has decided (as is his right) that I will see this as an Iraqi “angel”, which limits the scope of emotion that I can invest in it.
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Certainly others, in accordance with their own life experiences and views, will see this sculpture differently.
It doesn’t take an artist to understand that.
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And yes, Laurel I am an artist, sculptor, and designer. It’s how I make my living (such as it is =^o).
If we are to lower ourselves to the point of questioning the truthfulness of each other regarding our lines of work, then there isn’t really much room for us to discuss anything else, is there?
i questioned you because, imo, you put needlessly obnoxious links in your post. so, i appreciate your candid reply. thanks. although, i still don’t understand how you make the connection between blanket “anti-war” and that sculpture.
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here’s to creative people being able to make a living as such!
…about the links – they were snarky.
The sentiments, however, were quite genuine.
Least of the very people who will be killed or wounded. There are those however that are in favor of defending our country and the US Constitution and if that includes up to and including armed conflict—-so be it.
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Violence is as human as love and giving birth. It’s what makes us what we are. A ying and a yang thing. An ugly observation but accurate.
…and and be devoid of an anti war sentiment?
I’m not fluent enough in art criticism to say, but if I have time I’ll look it up further.
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It seems that it was at minimum an anti-Franco piece. People have used it as an anti-war symbol whether Picasso intended to be anti-war or not.
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Here is a Guardian article outlining the work’s history:
http://www.guardian….
…what, exactly, does “(n/t)” mean?
…(n/t) means “no text.” Nothing under the headline/subject line
Thankyou
Look! It works! Dooh!
He raised $700 today for the Mehadi Foundation throught the display of this sculpture at the Santa Monic Pier. Here’s a bit more on the Mehadi Foundation:
The foundation was founded by Lance Corporal Jeff Key, USMC, veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom.