From the collection of the National Park Service, National Mall and Memorial Parks.
artwork, stained glass
VIVE 02875
06/28/1990
Stained glass artwork by artist Jess Jespersen of DMZ Productions, Inc. The artwork consists of three (3) separate rows of stained glass panels within a soldered lead frame designed to replicate the appearance of three (3) military issue awards: [from top to bottom] Vietnam Service Medal ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon, and U.S. Navy & U.S. Marine Corps Combat Action Ribbon (CAR). The artwork was left at The Wall by Jess Jespersen, "For those who served sacrificed and died in Vietnam / and those who died at home after the war" between May - June 1990.
STAINED GLASS ARTWORK BY ARTIST JESS JESPERSEN OF DMZ PRODUCTIONS, INC. THE OBJECT CONSISTS OF TWENTY-THREE (23) SEPARATE, RECTANGULARLY SHAPED, VARIOUSLY TEXTURED STAINED GLASS PANELS IN COLORS OF RED, YELLOW, BLUE, WHITE, AND GREEN. THE GLASS PANELS ARE ARRANGED IN THREE (3) HORIZONAL ROWS, OR TIERS, WITHIN A SOLDERED LEAD FRAME DESIGNED TO REPRESENT (FROM TOP TO BOTTOM): VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL RIBBON, REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL RIBBON, AND U.S. NAVY & U.S. MARINE CORPS COMBAT ACTION RIBBON (CAR). FIVE (5), FIVE (5)-POINTED, METALLIC GOLD STARS ARE CONNECTED VIA A SINGLE WIRE AND SOLDERED TO THE CENTER OF THE FIRST (1ST), OR UPPERMOST, TIER FRAME TO REPRESENT GOLD STAR DEVICES AFFIXED TO THE RIBBON FIELD OF THE VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL RIBBON. ADDITIONALLY, A LEAD RIBBON SOLDERED TO THE CENTER OF THE SECOND (2ND), OR CENTER, TIER FRAME AND ENGRAVED WITH THE PHRASE, "1960'S" IS DESIGNED TO REPRESENT A, "1960 - " DEVICE AFFIXED TO THE RIBBON FIELD OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL RIBBON. A FURTHER MEMORIAL INSCRIPTION IS ETCHED INTO THE LOWER EDGES OF SEVERAL OF THE STAINED GLASS PANELS WHICH IDENTIFIES THE ART STUDIO WHICH PRODUCED THE PIECE, "DMZ PRODUCTIONS INC" AS WELL AS THE ARTIST, "JESS JESPERSEN" (A FORMER SERVICE MEMBER) ALONG WITH HIS DATES OF SERVICE. AT THE UPPER, PROPER LEFT- AND RIGHT-HAND CORNERS OF THE OBJECT TWO (2) CIRCULAR WIRE LOOPS ARE SOLDERED TO THE LEAD FRAME FOR THE PURPOSE OF HANGING/DISPLAYING OF THE ARTWORK. TURNER BOOK, PG. 223.
VIVE-00073
1
Text of etched inscription upon the stained glass panels is transcribed in full, as follows: "DMZ Productions Inc. / Milw. WI / 414-961-1253 / For those who served sacrificed and died in Vietnam / and those who died at home after the war. / Peace at last. / Jess Jespersen 1968 - 69"
Item Weight: 1750.0g
Item Length: 30.5cm
Item Width: 37.0cm
Item Depth: 0.5cm (Thickness)