Under the Lash

Austin Barton | Attitude Adjustment | 1993 | Bronze Sculpture | 31 x 82 x 70 | Booth Western Art Museum | Cartersville, GA

I look at art every day. Art is my passion. Saturday, I sat outside viewing the museum sculpture garden trying to understand how this sculpture relates to me, because I innately felt something. 

It’s the feeling I’m after. I’m not after what I see. I’m saying, what do I see in my spirit.

The focal point of the sculpture changed with every step I took, 360°, around the sculpture. As the angle changed, my feelings changed. 

This has to be one of the greatest sculptures I’ve ever seen, because the negative shapes between the object and the background are so important in carrying the message.  

I would like to distill my thoughts and feelings into something noteworthy.

There’s a battle going on between a powerful horse and an able cowboy. He faces the horse head on. The wild horse needs to be tied up and broken in order to be useful. The cowboy moves with the tiring horse and he overcomes. Then the horse might be trotting, allowing children with emotional problems to touch him, healing the brokeness inside. 

I’ve never seen a horse that couldn’t be rode. I’ve never seen  a rider that couldn’t be throwed.

I’d rather have a talking horse.

§tacy §weeney