Podcast Summary

Podcast: Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words
Episode: Sabin Howard on Restoring American Art & Culture with Patriotic Sculptures
Host: Jack Fowler (filling in for Victor Davis Hanson)
Guest: Sabin Howard, Sculptor
Date: January 16, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode centers on a deep and moving conversation between guest host Jack Fowler and acclaimed sculptor Sabin Howard. The focus is on how art has both reflected and lost its way in Western culture, Sabin's mission to restore meaning and patriotism to public art, and his monumental works: the World War I memorial in Washington, D.C., and the forthcoming Grand Liberty Arch in Salt Lake City. Sabin Howard discusses his artistic philosophy, the challenges of monumental sculpture, and the role of faith, craftsmanship, and national pride in his work.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Crisis and Renewal of Art

• Sabin’s Artistic Philosophy:
  • Sabin critiques modern art’s shift towards nihilism and irony, distancing itself from service to humanity and from philosophical or spiritual depth.
  • Quote [05:17]:
    Sabin Howard: “Art's supposed to be about humanity. It's supposed to represent who we are. Does it do that? No, it's lost... If you look at what happened historically, ...art takes this almost ironic bend down the road and it pokes fun of us, it pokes fun of our existence and it no longer sees it as something of great value and a great gift.”
• Return to Meaning and Service:
  • Sabin argues for art’s role in uplifting and binding communities, calling for a contemporary “renaissance” rooted in service, agency, self-responsibility, and spirituality.
  • Quote [06:53]:
    Sabin Howard: “We need to return... use that form, which is how the human being is put together, and then play that forward in a way that's exciting for people and visceral for people and not boring... carry all these feelings about who we are and it's defining who we are and it's defining us in a philosophy of agency, of self responsibility...”

2. The Alienation of Artists and Modern Society

• Sabin’s Perspective on Artistic Community:
  • Many skilled artists today, he says, operate from a nihilistic worldview and lack cohesive, uplifting philosophies, often motivated more by status and money than deeper service.
  • Critique of academia’s failure to educate artists to better the world.
  • Quote [09:55]:
    Sabin Howard: “A lot of the art that is done is, first of all, it's attached to status and money. And that's not the answer. That is not the reason for being... It's a system... maintaining the status quo.”
• Move from New York to Salt Lake City:
  • Sabin describes feeling alienated and undervalued in the New York art scene, but found purpose and community focus after moving West.
  • Emphasis on how cultural problems aren’t just artistic but reflect broader social alienation, particularly in big cities.

3. The Story and Impact of "A Soldier’s Journey" (World War I Memorial, Washington, D.C.)

• Genesis and Design:
  • Sabin won a major national competition for the World War I Memorial, facing skepticism from federal art agencies who resisted his vision of honoring veterans.
  • Quote [17:52]:
    Sabin Howard: “I came into contact with the Commission of Fine Arts, which was... none too happy to have me in a room, because what I was a proponent of was actually making a sculpture that honored not only our veterans from 100 years ago, but also the veterans that come there today... Not once in these agency meetings was the word veteran uttered.”
• Artistic Narrative:
  • The 60ft wide, 12ft high bronze relief tells the hero’s journey through WWI, from family parting, through battle and loss, to homecoming and legacy, using Sabin’s daughter as a model for continuity and hope.
  • Quote [22:35]:
    Sabin Howard: “It's a bronze wall that tells a story. It is the hero's story... that sculpture is the next generation. That final figure. That's what we need to think about, like, how are we leaving the planet? How are we leaving our mark to make this place better?”
• Audience Reaction:
  • The piece is designed for visceral, emotional impact accessible to all (“any eighth grader is going to get [it]... they're going to get hit in the chest and have a visceral reaction” [07:43]).

4. Italy as Inspiration and the Meaning of Service

• Recent Trip to Rome:
  • Sabin reflects on visiting Il Gesu and experiencing a faith-driven, empowering sermon about heroism over victimhood.
  • Recalls the sense of possibility, contrast between American dynamism and European stasis.
  • Quote [25:36]:
    Sabin Howard: “It was a sermon of heroism, that we are all heroic and not about victimization, which so often I've gone to church in this country... And I left that church at that moment, realizing how important it was to be in service of.”
• American Possibility:
  • The freedom and opportunity in the U.S. to pursue dreams is celebrated.
  • Quote [27:53]:
    Sabin Howard: “I have never gotten off a plane and gone to the baggage carousel at JFK and looked at the American flag like I did last week. I was like, damn, I'm proud of that flag because I got to do what I want to do, and I'm not done.”

5. The Grand Liberty Arch: Sabin’s Monumental New Project in Salt Lake City

• Project Overview:
  • The Grand Liberty Arch is envisioned as a national monument for America’s 250th birthday (to be unveiled before the 2032 Winter Olympics), far exceeding anything in current American monument culture.
  • The arch symbolizes a passage into a new paradigm, featuring 56 massive figures in relief and round, storytelling America’s history and ideals of agency and freedom.
  • Quote [32:52]:
    Sabin Howard: “I came up with the concept of an arch. The symbolism of an arch is... you pass through an arch, it's a new paradigm. It's a shift. So this is a... redefining moment of who we are as a people.”
  • The monument integrates cutting-edge technology such as photogrammetry, live models, and classic anatomical study.
• Philosophy and Community:
  • Sabin stresses rugged individuality, self-responsibility, and faith. He describes the supportive and entrepreneurial spirit he found in Utah.
  • He plans to unveil a scale model on July 4th, 2026.

6. Craftsmanship, Process, and Physicality of Monumental Art

• Scale and Tools:
  • The Grand Liberty Arch will contain 56 over-life-sized figures, up to 12 feet tall.
  • The process involves heavy manual labor and advanced modeling technology.
  • Quote [40:24]:
    Sabin Howard: “Practicing artists, ones that are truly professional, live in this world of never knowing what is coming next... Faith is what drives me forward. That I am on the path to doing something that is already predestined and I just have to do the work.”
  • The monument seeks to unite and elevate, not confuse:
    Sabin Howard: “I want to make something that everyone gets. And so this is a unifying type of art form that elevates the spirit, the human spirit.” [41:33]
• Enduring Legacy:
  • This will likely be Sabin’s last “big, big monument,” set to be among the largest in the Western world.
    Quote [44:41]:
    Sabin Howard: “This will be my last, really big, big monument. I will not have the power, physical power, to pull another one... I'll be 72 when I finish this one...”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Role of the Artist:
  “It's not about me. It's not about my ego. It's not about Saban Howard. It's about what can I do for my country, what can I do for my community? How can I be in service of others?”
  — Sabin Howard [11:52]

• On Artistic Faith and Challenge:
  “If you try to do this on your own, you will have a nervous breakdown or a heart attack, literally. Faith is what drives me forward… I just have to do the work.”
  — Sabin Howard [40:41]

• On Art and Divine Order:
  “There’s nothing ironic and alienated about it. It’s much more about this amazing quality of this thing that was thrown out at World War I, which is divine order. And we are constructed in this way. So the anatomy that I learned is my grammar to make these figures.”
  — Sabin Howard [43:44]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:00] — Introduction: The Problem with Modern Art; Sabin’s Philosophy
• [05:06] — How Did Art Lose Its Way? The Loss of Service to Humanity
• [09:11] — The Alienation of Artists, the Role of Academia, and Societal Nihilism
• [17:23] — Creating the World War I Memorial: Story, Symbolism, and Struggle
• [24:41] — Rome, Faith, Freedom, and Artistic Inspiration
• [30:43] — Moving West: The Birth of the Grand Liberty Arch Project
• [39:52] — Process, Craft, and the Physical Demands of Monumental Sculpture
• [44:40] — Legacy: The Largest Monument in the Western World?
• [46:17] — Closing Remarks and Reflections

Tone & Language

The conversation is passionate, contemplative, and inspiring. Sabin Howard speaks with conviction about the sacred calling of art, patriotism, humility, legacy, and what it means to serve something greater than oneself. The tone is equal parts philosophical and practical, with vivid depictions of hard work and vision. Jack Fowler brings admiration and warmth, framing Sabin’s journey as both uniquely American and urgently needed.

Takeaways for Listeners

This episode is a masterclass in the purpose and impact of public art, the importance of cultural renewal, and the intersection of faith, craftsmanship, and national identity. Sabin Howard’s story demonstrates how individual vision and perseverance can shape a country’s cultural legacy, and why now, perhaps more than ever, patriotism and artistry must go hand-in-hand.