In the Black Hills Forest in South Dakota in the northwestern United States, on lands considered sacred to the Oglala Lakota Indian tribes, the world’s largest memorial carved from Thunderhead Mountain was created in 1948. According to the project, the finished statue, which has been in the works for almost 70 years, should have dimensions of 195 by 172 meters, and the height of the Indian’s head is 27 meters (12151 Avenue of the chiefs). These dimensions are significantly larger than the monument carved on Mount Rushmore dedicated to four US presidents. Near the memorial, there is an educational center, a souvenir shop, and a cafe. The Museum of Indians tells about the history of local tribes, and there are also separate exhibitions dedicated to creating the monument. Guided tours are conducted around the memorial, and in the summer, they arrange a laser show in the evenings.
This memorial is dedicated to the famous Lakota Indian leader in the USA, nicknamed the Crazy Horse, who was incredibly brave and belligerent. He was born in 1840 and defended the right of Indians to live their usual way of life on their territory (12151 Avenue of the chiefs). In addition, he led the defense against the US Army, crushing their detachments, and on September 5, 1877, he was mortally wounded while being held captive by the Federals (12151 Avenue of the chiefs). Crazy Horse is considered one of the most famous heroes of the Indian resistance in North America. The life story of the Oglala Lakota Indian chief inspired the sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski to create a memorial dedicated to all American Indians.
The sculptor wanted to immortalize the fearless warrior and his struggle for Indian independence in stone. However, later interpretations have changed this historical figure’s meaning and cultural understanding. According to some reports, the tribal leader was a modest man who asked to be buried in an unmarked grave and would never approve of a colossal statue in his honor (Brooke, 2019). Many Indians consider this monument a blasphemy and a profound disrespect for the people’s traditions to which the Fierce Horse belonged – a man who was characterized by humility and virtue.
Despite the misunderstandings and disagreements that have arisen, it is difficult to argue that this sculpture shocks the imagination and is a real work of art. It is gorgeous from an aesthetic point of view, it is a famous landmark, and the story associated with it makes thinking about many things that happened before (Levitt). This sculpture is an important reminder of the deeds of a strong and fearless man who sought to protect his people from oppressors. Probably, the sculptor should have consulted with the Indians about the upcoming creation, but he shouldn’t be blamed for being inspired by the beautiful legend of the Crazy Horse. The author of this work interprets the Crazy Horse memorial as an attempt to praise and admire a brave and freedom-loving man of the past who was not afraid of death or imprisonment.
The article authored by Brooke seems skeptical since it looks like the author has a negative attitude to the work of the sculptor. Compared to Brooke’s opinion, the author of this article agrees more with the material published by Buchanan, where the bias of critics is discussed (Buchanan, 2016). Indeed, one should not ignore the apparent disrespect for the traditions and customs of other people. Still, it seems wiser not to criticize or hate the sculptor but rather to admit some of his mistakes and shortcomings. Brooke says that essential aspects of Indian mythology were not considered when creating the monument, which is undoubtedly a significant omission (Brooke, 2019). Nevertheless, the sculpture is a majestic work of art, and its original message, according to the author of this work, was still a tribute to the Indian people.
References
12151 Avenue of the chiefs: Crazy horse memorial. (n.d.). Retrieved January 26, 2022, from The History : Crazy Horse Memorial®.
Brooke, J. (2019). American sphinx. The New Yorker, 95, 28.
Buchanan, K. (2016). The awards show show: How critics affect the oscars, and how bias affects critics. Vox Media, LLC, 1-3.
Levitt, H. (n.d.). Who decides what art means? [Video]. TED. Who decides what art means? – Hayley Levitt | TED-Ed.