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24 January 2008

Barbaro Memorial for central park





Sculptor Daniel Edwards will reveal a statue of Barbaro in Central Park New York. It depicts Barbaro on his back in distress after injury, a scene imagined by the artist. The sculpture is going to be placed in the same location where a carriage horse was murdered by a vehicle. There is also a tie in to new legislation.

It looks like all tradional rules are being abondoned here as rules dictate that two hooves off the ground means that rider or horse died in battle. One hoof off the ground means injury in battle. All hooves on the ground indicate surviving unscathed. In the new paradigm four hooves off the ground means you are going for media shock value. I think Barbaro deserves a traditional sculpture that respects him and tradition, as racing is not a passing fad like shock value media.

It seems like this work is inspired by those in the animal rights movement as the unveiling will correspond to the unveiling of Barbaros law which requires reporting of race horse injuries. The government will now using our tax money to pry into the secretive backstretch and shine some light on what happens during training hours.

The first look at this work seems like it makes a mockery out of racing. If the artist wanted to depict the death of a horse on the spot where a carriage horse was murdered perhaps the artist should have depicted the carriage horse. In this day and age the artist went for the media connection as Barbaro is the most well known horse in America after Secretariat. Most will know about Barbaro and a positive association is assured for the the racing ignorant masses. The masses will have little association if a carriage horse was portrayed in his moment of agony.

Perhaps those in the Manhattan liberal elite thumb there nose at racing since racing appeals to the upper class class or working class. Neither groups that racing appeals to relate to liberal causes. Racing has little appeal in the liberal bourgeoisie class or the liberal welfare class. It looks like the Manhattan liberals are launching a cannonball attack into the starboard side of the racing media vessel. The objective of this sculpture is to defame racing and this work has government approval as it is on New York City property at Central Park.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm not Barbaro's biggest fan, but this statue is just insulting. He deserves a better depiction.

dana said...

Not all manhattan liberals are against racing, fyi. That's sort of like saying all conservatives are war mongers.

Superfecta said...

Ditto what Dana said for Brooklyn liberals!

In fact, all the racing fans and owners I know are as lefty as we come...

Anonymous said...

Whether you agree with the results of racing young horses or not. The statue is wrong. Barbaro, never went down on the track.

Ken H