The Iron Horse Classic B W Sculpture Sunrise Landscape Art
by Reid Callaway
Title
The Iron Horse Classic B W Sculpture Sunrise Landscape Art
Artist
Reid Callaway
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
The Iron Horse Classic B W....by Reid Callaway
Sculpture Sunrise Landscape Art
In 2013, the University of Georgia bought hundreds of areas of land around the Iron Horse from landowner Jack Curtis. UGA has torn down the two silos that made the east facing images so special to me. Those silos can only be seen now in the images that I and other photographers have taken. I would venture to say I probably have more images of The Iron Horse than anyone. The former landowner and friend, Jack Curtis, was smart enough to leave the public access to the famous sculpture written into the sales agreement to the property. There is a public easement to and around the Iron Horse for everybody to use. Georgia Highway 15, runs from Greensboro to Athens, GA and gives the passing cars and trucks, a very long view of the famed Iron Horse sculpture....
The Iron Horse...... History
Yes, standing proudly in a Greene County field some 18 miles south of Athens on Georgia Hwy 15, you will see "The Iron Horse". The 2-ton iron sculpture has been making headlines since the day it reared its head in front of Reed Hall on the University of Georgia campus more than 40 years ago. The famed piece has been fought over, ridden and ridiculed, has had mentions in Time magazine, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Atlanta magazine, not to mention the slew of Athens writers who've tackled the subject. A film was even made about the notorious horse in 1982 by William Van DerKloot.
An entirely post-World War II development, metal sculpture was making one of its first appearances in the country on the UGA campus. On the very evening that the sculpture of the Iron Horse was placed in front of Reed Hall, a number of disgruntled students set to work with their own creative ideas for the piece. The horse was scribbled on with paint, hay was shoved into its mouth while manure was scattered on the ground behind it, and finally a mattress was placed under it and set on fire.
The artist said to The Atlanta Journal on May 28, 1954, ''I was struck with the idea of ancient Athens where people lived with sculpture all around them, and even if they didn't like it, they left it alone. I wanted Athens, Ga., to have a piece of sculpture to look at. And I think the least I could have expected, even if they didn't like it, was a little Southern courtesy.''
Time magazine picked up the story of the horse on June 7, 1954, and quotes Pattison as well: ''It's degrading to have that happen to anyone's idea. ...The university took quite a courageous step in ... having me come down here and work in the first place. ... Now I think their action in taking the horse down and hiding it is cowardly. ... I feel terrible.''
Never again to grace the campus, the Iron Horse was, as Pattison said, taken into hiding. Then in 1958, J.A. Williams, dean of students and director of development, wrote a letter to Dodd, telling him that L.C. Curtis of the university's horticulture department wanted to take the horse and put it on his land where people could drive by and see it. Throughout the years there has been talk about bringing the horse back. Jack Curtis, son of L.C., told the Athens Observer he disagreed with moving the horse back to campus.
''The administration of the university abdicated their response and abandoned the horse,'' Curtis wrote the newspaper. Jack Curtis says part of the reason he feels the horse is in its proper place is aesthetic. ''The expanse of the curve it's on provides people driving by a nice long look at it,'' he says. ''I've been up there quite a bit and watched people in cars -- seen their faces, you know. And few people drive by without taking a good look at it,'' he adds with a hint of pride. ''It's made an awful lot of people who wouldn't ordinarily be exposed to sculpture exposed to it. ''People also used to go out there and tip it over all the time,'' Curtis says. ''That was before we put it in concrete in the mid or late '60s. Seemed like every Monday we'd have to go over and push it back up.'' It seems there's no truth to the rumor that the horse has its backside facing Athens because of its sour experience on campus. ''The truck got stuck, so that's how it stayed,'' Curtis says with a laugh. It's obvious that over the years, Curtis has become quite attached to the horse. And, he says, ''We always judge the corn crops on whether or not we can see the horse.'' He adds, ''It needs to be out where it is, where people can see it.''
And so the horse stands, subject of a wealth of stories brought on by the initial negative reaction to its presence on campus. A legend in its own time, the Iron Horse shares its history in Athens with its home in Greene County.
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Comments, Likes and Favorites are appreciated... :-)
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May 28th, 2015
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Comments (24)
Reid Callaway
Thank you to the buyer from Tucker, GA for the purchase of my image, “The Iron Horse Sun Up” printed on two 18" x 18" Throw Pillows! May this image and Throw Pillows be a Blessing to your and bring back many wonderful memories for years to come! 11/9/2021
Bob Christopher
Hi Reid…I like your image. A terrific subject and nicely photographed. I enjoyed your description of this sculpture as well…Excellent…Cheers Bob fv
Reid Callaway
Thank you Jan Mulherin for featuring my artwork in our group....”Art Forever with You”! 8/26/2020
Jan Mulherin
Congratulations!! This stunning image has been selected to be featured for the week in the “Art for Ever with You” Group Home Page. You are welcome to add a preview of this featured image to the group’s discussion post titled “2020 August: Stunning Group Featured Images and Thank-you’s” for a permanent display within the group, to share this achievement with others. Also feel free to post your feature on our group Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/296998814248643/ Thank you for your participation in the group! ~Jan (August 26, 2020)
Reid Callaway
Thank you Angela Barnes for making this image one of your personal Favorites! 3/2/2018
Reid Callaway
Thank you Darin for your kind words and for making this image one of your personal Favorites!
Darin Williams
Beautiful composition and capture, Reid! Thanks for the history on the sculpture, as well! l/f
Reid Callaway
Thank you to Along The Trail for featuring my artwork in our group.... The Social Arts! 7/1/2017
Reid Callaway
Thank you Jilian Cramb - AMothersFineArt for featuring my artwork in our group... Beauty in Art! 6/8/2017
Jilian Cramb - AMothersFineArt
Congratulations your work is featured on the homepage of the Pixels/FAA Group Beauty in Art! 6/8/17 - You may archive your feature in the group's Feature Discussion thread! Tweeting!
Reid Callaway
Thank you John M Bailey for featuring my artwork in our group...Images That Excite You! 6/5/2017
Reid Callaway
Thank you Doug Norkum for featuring my artwork in our group.... Canon Full Frame Cameras! 6/5/2017
Reid Callaway
Thank you to the buyer from New York, NY for the purchase of my image "The Iron Horse Classic". May this image bring beauty and wonder to its surroundings and be a source of conversation for years to come!
Reid Callaway
Thanks so much Marinescu Dan for featuring my artwork in our group...Premium FAA Artists