"He would offer [us] a puff on his pipe, a prayer and a message of hope, awakening [our] faith in God, country and each other... Most of those who survived that winter (including myself) owe their survival to Father."
Mike Dowe, POW
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The Chaplain Kapaun Memorial Committee is seeking artists to help design and fabricate a bronze statue to memorialize heroic Catholic priest and Army Chaplain, Emil Kapaun. The selected artist will collaborate with the Chaplain Kapaun Memorial Committee on the specific artistic elements of the statue, with the goal of honoring Kapaun’s military service, his priestly character, and his Kansas farming roots.
PARAMETERS
Size and Medium:
A life-size or larger statue in bronze on a Kansas limestone base is desired. (Height of approximately 6 feet or taller. Depending on final determination of location, the width may be constrained to 32 inches wide for both the statue and the base). This current request for qualifications focuses primarily on the bronze statue. The committee will decide after consultation with the selected artist on the best way to proceed with the base.
Themes:
-
Kapaun’s exemplary military service
-
His Catholic priestly vocation
-
His Kansas agricultural roots
Timeline:
The timeline for the project will be contingent on fundraising efforts and artist’s considerations, but we hope to continue moving through the process as quickly as possible.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Applications may be submitted by the form below, or mailed to:
Chaplain Kapaun Memorial Committee
424 N Broadway Ave
Wichita, KS 67202
Questions may be directed to kapaunmemorial@gmail.com.
Evaluation:
By this Request for Qualifications, the Chaplain Kapaun Memorial Committee wishes to extend an invitation for artists to express interest and qualifications to design and erect this memorial. Evaluation of artist submissions will be completed by the Kapaun Memorial Committee. The committee reserves the right to reject or accept applications based on the best interest of the goals of this memorial.
The committee also reserves the right to choose a select number of artists for further discussions or requests for proposals. Final approval of the design and location of the statue is reserved for the Kansas Legislature’s Capitol Preservation Committee.
ARTIST APPLICATION
Submission Deadline: July 31, 2024
Applications may be submitted through this online form or mailed to:
Chaplain Kapaun Memorial Committee
424 N Broadway Ave
Wichita, KS 67202
Or sent via email to kapaunmemorial@gmail.com
© 2024 Chaplain Kapaun Memorial Committee
424 N Broadway Ave | Wichita, KS 67202