The Art of Immortalizing Heroes
Resurrecting Lives Foundation is proud to partner with Pisano Artistry in the creation of Chief Joe Pisano’s war memorial, The Art of Immortalizing Heroes. The project is envisioned as a large-scale seven panel art project, inspired by the returning veteran recipients of the 2021 Honor Flight.
Each panel of the creation will be dedicated to World War I, World War Il, Korean War, Vietnam Conflict, Global War on Terrorism veterans as well as Funeral Honors and Unsung Heroes.
We are pleased to offer sponsorship packages for Chief Pisano’s war memorial and we invite you to be a part of this project. Each sponsorship level offers a unique opportunity to be a part of the 2023 unveiling event and be recognized as a sponsor. Learn more about The Art of Immortalizing Heroes below. To become a sponsor or make a donation of any amount toward the war memorial, please click here.
"In October of 2021 I received 94 U.S. Veterans of the World War II, Korean War and the Vietnam Conflict era at the San Diego Airport after their tour of Washington D.C.'s War Memorials.
"While receiving these Veterans, I was in the company of several hundred San Diegans as we all welcomed them back home. This was uniquely special for many Veterans that did not receive a welcome home upon their return from war.
"This moment inspired me to create a War Memorial for Veterans so they wouldn't have to travel as far or were/are unable to make the trip to D.C. The concept would replicate the war memorials that are in D.C. This concept would contain seven panels, each 5 (h) x 4 (W), which when assembled, together, would form a Wall of five feet in height and twenty-eight feet in length. The panels would depict World War I and Il, Korean War, Vietnam Conflict, Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), Unsung Heroes, and Funeral Honors."
-Joe Pisano
Stand Together: A Veteran's Flag
"I created my first 3D art piece, "Stand Together," in April 2018 after meeting a volunteer at the Veterans Memorial Museum. He encouraged me to follow through with my idea to create a flag out of screws that looked like it was waving in the wind.
"After the piece was completed, I decided on the name "Stand Together" because I wanted the artwork to symbolize how all branches of service stand together in unity to fight for freedom and the ideals that the flag represents. I then came up with the idea to put a mat around it that veterans could sign, and I have been collecting veterans signature at every venue where l display this piece ever since."
- Joe Pisano
Divinity Among Heroes
Arguably Chief Pisano's most impactful work to date.
"My top priority and initial challenge for [the] 9/11 piece was creating an image that would not open wounds or deepen the wounds already struggling to heal. I am very pleased with how the piece turned out. I feel I accomplished this and to top it all off I created this piece in my hotel room.
"The dimensions, in my mind, needed to be big enough to grab the attention of the audience - the Twin Towers stand at 10 feet in height, the flag is nine feet in length and the entire piece is four feet wide by
12 feet in height. To date, this is my most ambitious project in terms of size." - Joe Pisano
Materials used in this work include: 30,000 drywall and trim screws, 2,978 blocks of wood, representing the lives lost in the Twin Towers, and gauges and parts from a decommissioned firetruck.
From: Divinity among Heroes: A Surge Maintenance Sailor's 9/11 Memorial Tribute
The Khaki Vessel
"The Khaki Vessel is dedicated to ALL my Brothers and Sisters that wear a Khaki Shirt under our regular clothes... YOU ARE TRULY SUPER HEROES in disguise" - Joe Pisano
Invisibilia and Operation Zero
On Veterans Weekend 2021, Chief Pisano joined with Resurrecting Lives Foundation to discuss the consequences of untreated Traumatic Brain Injuries at the USS Midway Museum private screening of the short film, Brainstorms, depicting life as experienced by a veteran from the Global
War on Terror, struggling with TBI.
Chief Pisano's pieces Invisibilia, depicting homelessness, and Operation Zero, calling for an end to veterans' suicides, were front and center in this interactive discussion with leaders from the San Diego Community to bring an end to both of these social injustices.
See the Art
Pisano Artistry plans to exhibit these inspiring works of art at the
Centennial Year at Naval Training Center - 2023
- Liberty Station, formerly the US Naval Training Center. will have its centennial; the entire piece will be displayed at their celebration
- Art of Immortalizing Heroes will have a new home in the Liberty Station museum
Mobile tour of Art of Immortalizing Heroes replica - 2024
Participation opportunities:
- Screws placed in the art pieces by veterans
- Stars made by school children
- Battle honors and memorabilia given by families ofthe fallen
- Participation in several states and countries
