Art

[Wooster]

I liked this comment about the CBC article:

Wow, that's great. Because we do not have nearly enough bronze cowboy art in this town.

I'm not sure if people realize, but Calgary has some kind of western-y ranching and cowboys kind of heritage. Did you know that? I didn't. But then I noticed all these bronze horses and painted cows and cowboy hat logos and so on and I thought, "Huh. Maybe cowboys and livestock played a part in the development of this great city." It's a pretty subtle point. You really can't overstate it.

LOL.

[Bigtime]

I liked the comment that lamented the fact the bull was buried, when he would have made great hamburger!

[Me&You]

Originally Posted by Wooster

I liked this comment about the CBC article:

Quote:
Wow, that's great. Because we do not have nearly enough bronze cowboy art in this town.

I'm not sure if people realize, but Calgary has some kind of western-y ranching and cowboys kind of heritage. Did you know that? I didn't. But then I noticed all these bronze horses and painted cows and cowboy hat logos and so on and I thought, "Huh. Maybe cowboys and livestock played a part in the development of this great city." It's a pretty subtle point. You really can't overstate it.


LOL.

But out of all the 'western-y' art in Calgary, I think this one is the most appropriate... The bull outside the NYSE only has one meaning, while ours is a kind of double-ender... take that NYC

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by Wooster

I liked this comment about the CBC article:

Wow, that's great. Because we do not have nearly enough bronze cowboy art in this town.

I'm not sure if people realize, but Calgary has some kind of western-y ranching and cowboys kind of heritage. Did you know that? I didn't. But then I noticed all these bronze horses and painted cows and cowboy hat logos and so on and I thought, "Huh. Maybe cowboys and livestock played a part in the development of this great city." It's a pretty subtle point. You really can't overstate it.


LOL.

Haha! Just wait, the Stampede has more up their sleeve. Next we can look forward to a team of horses crossing the river . Never seen that before . In a sad way it's still more palatable than the native and cowboy busts though.

[O-tacular]

"Outlaw reflects our western heritage and the entrepreneurialism, grit and determination symbolic of the capital markets," said Wes Peters, spokesman for the Calgary Chartered Financial Analyst Society, which worked with Calgary Stampede to commission the statue.

I love how white collar — ACCOUNTANTS in this city view themselves as such tough guy rebels. Cause Calgary's really so rebellious and anti-status quo (As this cliched, literal sculpture shows). Same guys that bust out the paint-on wrangler jeans and cowboy hats once a year for stampede.

[O-tacular]

Here's my proposal for sculptures of our heritage animals: endangered grizzlies. THAT is our heritage. (One better would be to have an oil derrick or ATV crushing a woodland caribou or grizzly bear).

[Ramsayfarian]

Originally Posted by Me&You

But out of all the 'western-y' art in Calgary, I think this one is the most appropriate... The bull outside the NYSE only has one meaning, while ours is a kind of double-ender... take that NYC

I was thinking along the same lines.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by Me&You

But out of all the 'western-y' art in Calgary, I think this one is the most appropriate... The bull outside the NYSE only has one meaning, while ours is a kind of double-ender... take that NYC

I think you meant double entendre. Double ender just sounds wrong (or right if you're a pervert).

[O-tacular]

On second thought I think a more appropriate local animal to immortalize in bronze would be the Ford F-150 with lift kit, monster truck tires, and of course truck balls.

[Me&You]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

I think you meant double entendre. Double ender just sounds wrong (or right if you're a pervert).

The whole comment was kinda tongue-in-cheek, so 'double ender' seemed more appropriate

[MichaelS]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Here's my proposal for sculptures of our heritage animals: endangered grizzlies. THAT is our heritage. (One better would be to have an oil derrick or ATV crushing a woodland caribou or grizzly bear).

I don't think a Grizzly Bear would be very optimistic/portray the right message outside of the Stock Exchange tower.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by MichaelS

I don't think a Grizzly Bear would be very optimistic/portray the right message outside of the Stock Exchange tower.

Haha! It was more of a joke.

[Ramsayfarian]

A giant statue of — would be more apt for the stock exchange building.

Complaining about cowboy — in Calgary is like complaining about rainy winters in Vancouver. Either learn to deal with it, or move somewhere else, cause it's not going away.

[Radley77]

The massing of Outlaw looks impressive. I grew up on a farm and I never have been in a pen with a bull before. The ability to get up close to an animal like this for most people is usually very dangerous.

I really love the bronze killer whale a la first nation style outside the Vancouver aquarium. It is something that is a wellrespected and iconic piece of public art and a favourite photo spot in Vancouver.

I think this art might be better appreciated by tourists; my cousins that have visited from England, and friends from the East Coast love going to Stampede. First Nations history is tremendously interesting because it is novel.

• Video Link

[O-tacular]

Cool video. As much as I think bronze is overdone as a sculpture medium, it is a highly fascinating process. When I was at ACAD I was lucky enough to take a sculpture class where we did a bronze for our final piece. As one of the people who had to lift and cradle the molten metal for the pour I can tell you it;s F-ing HOT! Even when wearing a leather apron for protection.

[cityscape_enthusiast]

I don't understand Calgary's fascination with bronze sculptures. They cost a ridiculous amount! AND it's not art!

[Ramsayfarian]

Originally Posted by cityscape_enthusiast

I don't understand Calgary's fascination with bronze sculptures. They cost a ridiculous amount! AND it's not art!

How can anyone say what is or is not art?

[MalcolmTucker]

^ Calgarian's seek out permanence and attachment to the past where there is little, hence an inordinate amount of bronze compared to other cities. Plus, when you have money why not make it rain! My sense of it at least. The sheer amount of public art in Calgary is quite a step up from many other cities, but that might just be due to our ultra dense business cluster.

[cityscape_enthusiast]

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

How can anyone say what is or is not art?

You're right RF, I shouldn't have jumped the — on such a generalized statement. IMO, it's not art.

[jeffwhit]

^^At the risk of being called a snob, I must agree with you. It's more just cowboy themed decoration.