Experiencing Public Art - Art Appreciation

The Black Hills of South Dakota


The Black Hills of South Dakota are frequently linked to a historical site whose construction astounds tourists and locals. Four of the most important people in American history are depicted in the photos on the Hills. Faces of Theodore Roosevelt, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington evoke recollections of these heroic presidents' greatness and courage (Borglum & DenDooven, 1977). Visitors to the monument can observe Gutzon Borglum's unobstructed and complete perspective of the mountain from the artist's studio. The tools that were used to do the carving are located in the studio together with the original model of the workers who assisted Borglum.

The Rock at the Hills


The rock at the Hills have outcroppings of granite that is fine grained. The granite, an igneous rock is light colored and an indicator of a rock that cooled after a volcanic activity. Mica, a crystalline metamorphic type of rock is also visible. The view of the granite, light in color, and the dark Mica layers make Mount. Rushmore to be more attractive. The mountain is well positioned in the northeastern edge of another huge igneous batholith rock. The good environment seems not only to attract people but also wild animals that envy the flora and the fauna. Tourists and visitors also enjoy seeing bald eagles and hawks that fly around the historical monument.

The Carvings at Mount Rushmore


The carvings at the Mount Rushmore were out of a group project that was coordinated by Gutzon Borglum (Borglum & DenDooven, 1977). The artists beside him had the same goal of making South Dakota great and preserving the American history for posterity. Bianco, for example, had a great talent in refinement making Borglum's vision of designing an outstanding monument to come true. Bianco was later made the supervisor to the whole project in 1933 and concentrated more on making the facial features of the president using granite (Hahn, 2014). His skills were also crucial in shifting the location of the accidental craft from the face to the lips. For approximately 14 years, 400 men worked alongside Bianco using hand held tools like the chisel and the blast to bring the model in the studio into picture (Borglum & DenDooven, 1977)

Reflecting on American History at the Monument


Visiting the monument is good in refreshing our American history through reflecting on the actions of each key figure on these stones. George Washington triggers the memories of the fight for independence to form our republic. Jefferson is famous for the Louisiana Purchase, an expansion that continues to affect the Americans to date (Cerami, 2014). Lincoln reminds the visitors that humanity is to be respected regardless of the racial differences. Lastly, Roosevelt reminds the American how change is brought about by the passing of time. I am sure that visiting the site once can never be enough due to the great view. The monument is also important in reminding the citizens the importance of bringing change in the country through great dedication and chasing our American dream. The determination and the inspiration come from both the four figures on the rocks and the designers of the faces who had to risk their lives hanging on ropes to design the 60 feet high sculptures. Perhaps, if there was more space, other important citizens in the American history would have their faces carved out of the rocks.

Fig 1 and 2: Source (Mount Rushmore Mountain Memorial website)


References


Borglum, L., & DenDooven, G. R. (1977). Mount Rushmore. KC Publications.

Cerami, C. A. (2004). Jefferson’s great gamble: the remarkable story of Jefferson, Napoleon and the men behind the Louisiana Purchase. Sourcebooks, Inc.

Hahn, L. K. (2014). Mount Rushmore: Memorial to Our Greatest Presidents (Vol. 20). Simon and Schuster.

MOUNT RUSHMORE – Google Search. (2017). Google.com. Retrieved 13 September 2017, from https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!

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