Essay Sample on Public Art: Meaning, Making and Impact

Introduction

Public art can be defined as a reflection of how we view the world and the artist's reaction to our place and time while combining it with our feeling of who we are. The size of the public art can vary in size depending on where it is situated, the preference of the artist, and the intended audience. The shape can be either abstract or realistic or a combination of both. What distinguishes public art is the unique way of its making and the meaning that it carries (Bach, 1992). Public arts are used to express community values, acknowledge a hero or a heroine and to enhance our environment. They are placed in public sites for everyone to see. An example of public art is the gigantic carved sculptures in Mount Rushmore that depict the faces of United States presidents Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

The Shrine of Democracy

Mount Rushmore is located in South Dakotas Black Hills National Forest. The project was started in 1927 and was completed in 1941 with the leadership of sculptor Gutzon Borglum. During the construction, about 400 workers erected the sculpture under risky conditions ("Mount Rushmore," 2019). A total of 450000 tons of rock were removed to create the carved heads and faces each reaching a height of 18 meters. Gutzon Borglum had originally designed the four presidents to be carved from the waist but they run short of funds after completion of their faces. The site is referred to as "The Shrine of Democracy "due to the gigantic sculptures faces of the United States presidents and the site receives about 2 million visitors annually.

The sculpture is a commendable work. Gutzon Borglum designed the art and it took him 14 years to reach the current state of the monument. The son of Gutzon took over to finalize after his death in 1941. From the lapels of the coat belonging to George Washington shows the original plans of carving to the waist ("Mount Rushmore--Presidents: A Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary," n.d.). Borglum could have been a disappointed man for not actualizing the original plan but the work still stands out as among the most brilliant public art in American history. The best view comes as you drive through the highway as you approach the entrance. As you enter the tunnel, you can clearly see the four faces of the presidents as they were real pictures place in a frame. The faces of the four presidents can easily be recognized and one will wonder the level of perfection that Borglum had in carving the sculpture.

During the 1920s, Doane Robinson had an idea to sculpt the needles into the shape of heroes of the west ("Mount Rushmore--Presidents: A Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary," n.d.). Robinson contacted Borglum in 1924 to help in the carving. Borglum suggested that the images of South Dakota work to be the former presidents of the United States. Gutzon Borglum first suggested George Washington and Abraham Lincoln but he later added Theodore Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson to the list as a sign of recognizing their contribution to the democracy and building of free United States. Robinson and other South Dakota leaders who supported the idea secured congressional support in 1925. They began to raise funds from the community and the federal government supported them with $250,000.

Conclusion

Being in Mount Rushmore is a great feeling. I did not have much interest during the visit but after learning about the motivation and the sacrifice made by everyone who gets involved it, I had to change my view about it. The fact that some patriotic individuals can go through dangers and hardship to create such iconic sculpture changes everything. Looking at the faces of the four heroic figures brings the feeling of self-liberation and sacrifice to one's country. I find it awe-inspiring, and the heart beats faster with patriotic pride as I stare at the great heroic shrine as a result of artwork.

References

Bach, P. (1992). Public art in Philadelphia. Temple University Press.

Mount Rushmore. HISTORY. (2019). Retrieved 19 February 2020, from https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/mount-rushmore-1.

Mount Rushmore--Presidents: A Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary. Nps.gov. Retrieved 19 February 2020, from https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/presidents/mount_rushmore.html.