Quarter Horse
BEAKERHEAD September 2014
In 2013 I bought a vintage kiddie ride business; thirty coin-operated mechanical horses. These had been in front of Calgary stores such as Woolworths and Woodwards since the 1950s and 60s. The horses were in a state of extreme disrepair, having been neglected for a decade.
My intention was to transform them into a giant kinetic sculpture. They required mechanical refurbishment and I removed rotten tack and sandblasted the blistered surfaces down to reveal layers of paint built up over six decades.
My plan is to facilitate the evolution of the mechanical exhibit by presenting it in different environments and configurations, and emphasizing different elements. The first iteration was a 150 ft. long public art spectacle at Fort Calgary, September 10-14, 2014 for BEAKERHEAD / A smash up of art, science and engineering.
Eight of the horses are now at Decidedly Jazz Danceworks in preparation for their Fall 2014 show, Year of the Horse / The Completely Fictional Adventures of Josephine Baker / November 7-15 / Theatre Junction Grand.
Enormous thanks to The Alberta Foundation for the Arts, DJD, and BEAKERHEAD for helping to support this project!
- Category:: News
