The Artist
New Mexico artist Duke Sundt was commissioned in July 2007
as the sculptor of the Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument™. The Design Committee, with authorization of the Executive Board, selected Sundt – a former rodeo cowboy – because of his family's military background, his nearly 40 years of sculpting experience, his attention to artistic detail and his work with larger than life size bronze monuments. |
 Duke Sundt and Monument Maquette
Copyright Notice: The Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument maquette is copyright art/sculptor work. The copyright is owned by Capitol of Texas Vietnam Veterans Monument, Inc. Any use of the maquette, a replica, or in any form without the expressed written permission of Capitol of Texas Vietnam Veterans Monument, Inc is strictly prohibited.
|
Sundt’s father was a West Point graduate who served 30 years in the Army. His oldest brother and a first cousin also graduated from West Point and served in Vietnam, artillery and infantry respectively.
This is not the first time Sundt has sculpted a piece in honor of war veterans.
In 1985, Duke was commissioned by the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell to sculpt five larger-than-life-size bronzes representing World War I (a “doughboy”), World War II (an infantry soldier and a B-17 bomber pilot), the Korean War (a tank commander) and the Vietnam War (an infantry soldier).
This also is not the first time Sundt has sculpted a piece in Texas.
For the University of Texas at Austin, Sundt produced a bronze monument commemorating the significance and contribution of the Texas Longhorn. The monument depicts a larger-than-life Longhorn steer placed on a bronze base incorporating a bas-relief scene of a Texas Longhorn trail drive.
Between now and early 2013, Sundt will be finishing a scale model of the sculpture, fashioning clay versions of the life-size figures and base and overseeing transformation of the clay pieces into the bronze and granite monument.
Duke Sundt's Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument Image Gallery
|
The Monument
The octagon-shaped Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument™, tentatively scheduled to be dedicated in the fall of 2013 on the grounds of the state Capitol in Austin, will be about 14 feet high, 9½ feet deep and 12½ feet long. The five figures on the top will be 1.25 life size making the standing soldier figure 7 feet tall.
The stone pediment will be made of “Sunset Red” granite, the material used to build the state Capitol. The sculpture with incorporated bas relief panels around the base will be cast in bronze.
Site Plan for the Texas Capitol Vietnam
Veterans Monument™ |
When the Monument was being designed the artist was directed to incorporate symbolism, racial and ethnic diversity, and historically accurate weapons and equipment.
There are five figures representing our " Dawn Patrol" and are forming a defensive circle. All the figures are on guard watching intently for the enemy.
The five figures represent the ethnic and racial diversity of the Texans that served during the Vietnam War whether in-country or any duty station around the world. Today more 500.000 Bietnam veterans reside in Texas.
The seated figure is a wounded Asian-American representing the wounds and punishment that the people of South Vietnam suffered during America's longest war.
The Ranger is receiving blood, our blood, from a black medic. The aid being given to the wounded Asian-American symbolizes the aid given and US blood shed to help the South Vietnamese forces and people.
The radioman is a Native American. The radioman is concentrating on the sky looking for help from our helicopters, our lifeline in Vietnam.
The kneeling figure with the scoped rifle is a sniper, a Hispanic, watching for the enemy and protecting his fellow soldiers/Marines.
The standing figure is a Caucasian grunt, a ground pounder with the 1,000 yard stare.
Five ethnic groups; the racial diversity of Texas and of the Vietnam War; one team: grunts looking out for each other.
The bronze base of the Monument will be approximately 4' high and 12' wide and will have eight bas relief panels. The center panel will be the Star of Texas.
To the left and right of the Star of Texas will be two panels depicting the history and the geography of Vietnam.
The five remaining panels will show a key event or action for each branch of the US Military.
This monument establishes a legacy for generations to come, so they might know of the Texans that fought in Vietnam. So that they might know that they were bound together as brothers, fighting in an unpopular war, and that they served their couuntry with honor.
The monument will be situated on the northeast side of the Capitol. It will join other statues and memorials honoring veterans who fought at the Alamo and in the War Between the States, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II and the Korean War. It will be the first monument on the Capitol grounds to reflect the racial diversity of Texas’ culture. The area around the monument will be paved, allowing full access for people who use wheelchairs or walkers.
Creation of the monument is in the talented hands of Duke Sundt, renowned New Mexico sculptor.
|
|
