Day of Remembrance - Glenna Goodacre’s Vietnam Women’s Memorial Sculpture marks 30 years in the National Mall.
As seen in the January 2024 Western Art Collector Magazine
Families gathered at Glenna Goodacre’s Vietnam Women’s Memorial sculpture in Washington, D.C., during Veteran’s Day 2023 to celebrate veterans, but to also celebrate Goodacre’s monument, which was commemorating its 30th anniversary on the National Mall. Goodacre created the original clay sculpture for the Vietnam Women’s Memorial in her Santa Fe, New Mexico, studio in 1993.
The monument is dedicated to the service and sacrifice of the 265,000 women veterans—both military and civilian—who served during the Vietnam era.
“My desire to create a lasting tribute to the American women serving in Vietnam is founded upon my deep respect for each of them and my heartfelt prayer for their hope and healing,” said Goodacre in a speech prior to the unveiling of the larger-than-life size bronze statue in 1993. “I have been humbled by the enormity of such a task yet incredibly honored by the overwhelming gratitude of the veterans. The emphasis of this tribute is centered on their emotions; their compassion, their anxiety, their fatigue and above all, their dedication.”
Goodacre, who died in 2020, worked prominently in Western art, but took great reverence in creating monuments dedicated to the sacrifices of others. She also did large works devoted to Irish immigrants escaping famine and pioneers crossing the prairie. “That my hands can shape the clay which might touch the hearts and heal the wounds of those who served fills me with humility and deep satisfaction,” said Goodacre. “I can only hope that future generations who view the sculpture will stand in tribute to these women who served during the Vietnam Era.”
