The autumnal equinox has come and gone and with it the this long, hot summer has given way to temperatures twenty degrees cooler. We are thankful for this and without trying to sound ungrateful…could use a little rain as well. Artist at Exit 0, the unofficial artist at the Falls of the Ohio, was looking through some older images of his and was reminded of a former project that was offered as a physical prayer and remembrance of times gone by.
On occasion, references have been made in the riverblog that one of the historic features about the Falls of the Ohio is that it once was an active bison trace. Animals forded the river at this location and in fact many of the major roads in Kentucky are old buffalo trails that have been paved over. For millennia, bison were a resource that people could count on until they were slaughtered on an industrial scale in the 19th century for a variety of reasons…none of them good. To the indigenous people, bison were more than their supermarkets and great spiritual significance was associated with them. It’s probably a miracle of some kind that these animals continue to exist to the present day. Artist at Exit 0 has made several bison pieces over the years…but this was his favorite one.
Here it is presented as a simple art object. Constructed from river-polished polystyrene, driftwood branches, and nuts this piece was about as large as a good-sized dog. What the artist especially likes, however, are some of the images showing the Styro-Buffalo in the context of the Falls.
The Styro-Buffalo was photographed on the fossil cliffs near the western section of the park. The images were recorded with a 35mm camera and conventional print film that was developed at the local drugstore. I recently read in a Wikipedia search, that the white buffalo is an extremely rare animal and their births occur in approximately one out of every ten million births. Whether this takes into account leucistic (white fur, blue eyes), albinos (white fur, pink eyes) or other genetic anomalies is not certain. We had a female, white bison calf born in Shelbyville, KY in 2005 at a buffalo ranch and tourist attraction called Buffalo Crossing. The animal was named “Cantje Pejute” from the Lakota language which translates to “Medicine Heart”. A recent search on Buffalo Crossing was inconclusive as to whether the ranch is still open to the public and with it the fate of this particular animal?
Here is the Styro-Buffalo photographed at sunset on the fossil rocks. One critic who commented on this image considered it overly romantic. It was meant to be a pejorative statement since apparently there is little room in contemporary art for work that includes nature as part of the work’s context. The quest for the sublime and awe for nature are not generally in fashion in the high contemporary art world. Artist at Exit 0 was okay with that comment only because it underscored and confirmed personal observations about the contemporary art world that Artist at Exit 0 feels mirrors the general disconnect he perceives from our kind for the environment. If we persist in this attitude…we too may go the way of the buffalo and again it will be our choice.
This post is offered in friendship to 47 Whitebuffalo who’s fine blog is full of social conconciousness and art. Her link is included in my blogroll on my home page.
Artist at Exit 0 Riverblog 
i like the styro buffalo it shows a different use of found material i first thought they were rocks the artist used and was surprised to see it was styrofoam.
Yes, they do look like rocks at first.
When images of what I’m doing with the Styrofoam were seen by the park officials…they thought I might be using the fossil rocks themselves which is a huge no no here. Because polystyrene is in part made from petroleum…it’s weird to think that it has a fossil connection to begin with.
Yes, it is weird to think of it all as ‘petroleum’. I recall that in science labs I had a tough time reconciling these concepts. Also–it was enlightning–and unsettling– to learn about the character of petrolium plastics. I take it that now you have an excellent working relationship with the park officials. Have you ever put on an ‘offical’ exhibition there of your work?
I have an okay relationship with the park, but I don’t think they quite understand what I’m doing out there. I have presented at a couple Earth Day events and I donate Styrofoam sculptures to their fund raisers. One piece realized a pretty decent price which shocked me at the time.
O I am honored and blushing much at your post, Artist At Exit O. Your buffalo –and their placements– are wonderful. I agree with your observation about ‘our’ species’ disconnect from nature. It’s like a denial of our own biological reality. In your research you probably came across the information that white buffalo are hopefully omens of times for potentially positive ‘change’–evolution/transformation. Potentially doesn’t make it ‘so’ by any means. While I am not a Native American–I try to take HOPE in the positive potential of symbolized by the white buffalo. I look there because of the strong traditional connections and interconnections with all of nature because of my own inclinations since childhood. It’s clear from just looking at events around the world that many things hang in the balance—potential for great destruction and potential for great positive growth and transformation.
And I think of all the bison tracks you mention in your post. tracks are paths–but pathways to what?
To the rivers and beyond—-
I feel as you do. I use these materials because there is a big negative association with them that can be transformed into something positive through imagination and creativity. Call me idealistic or crazy, but I think that artists can help tip the balance toward the hopeful. What else is worth doing?
I hope so, Al. Something has to tip things to the positive side–right? What else is worth doing?—Now that’s taking the buffalo by the horns indeed. It’s not easy making transformations –but if the creative energy gets flowing then all sorts of things are possible–new exciting positive ways of living within the web of life too.
Wonderful post! I never realised that Kentucky (where my sister used to live) used to be on the buffalo trail. Such a shame about the demise of this wonderful animal. I always think of them running free over the plains. At least some people revere them – and quite right! When I hear the word ‘bison’ or ‘buffalo’ I always think of the ‘Wild West’ I think this animal should be a symbol of America instead of the eagle:)
Good old Ben Franklin thought the wild turkey should be our symbol because it is a far nobler bird than the bald eagle. But I like your idea about the bison. In the early part of the 20th century the government printed some handsome currency that featured the bison. Did you know that Europe has its own bison called the wisent that lives in Poland on the last fragment of Europe’s original forest? The two animals look very similar. Ah…memories of megafauna.
Oh yes, the Polish bison! LOL–being Polish, I have always found this VERY intriguing.
love that styro buffalo and great post – keep connecting people to nature, if they appreciate it, they preserve it!
Thanks Abbe…I think we are on the same page with our appreciation of art and nature.
A very very good point!
Hey I got Polish blood too:) The wild Turkey though:) I’ve had that! My brother in law at the time (from Kentucky) was always saying ‘Turkey time’ after dinner…it was ‘wild Turkey’ too:D
Ha…and other sounds of laughter! Gotta love that bourbon whiskey! Shared a sip or two with a friend recently. This is one of those things that makes Kentucky what it is. Who would have thought that aging whiskey in white oak barrels that have been charred on the inside would make such a difference! There is also Buffalo Trace Distillary that makes decent bourbon too!
LOL–turkeys, whiskey, and buffalo all together! What else could connect all this but ART?
Lynda, that’s a very serious confession to make–having Polish blood–do you know whence from–as in which part of ‘occupied Poland’ or city or??? Yep, now you have my curiosity aroused.
another masterpiece!
love those horns and nose
🙂
You are too kind, but I’m glad you enjoyed the images of this sculpture!
Not overly romantic at all – there is a place for romanticism if used with conscious care and precision, as you do…
There is indeed a gread deal wrong with the establisshed art world – I have finally fallen out of love, and have not much time for it these days.
At the same time, I think, more than ever before, that artists have a vital role to play in helping to heal our relationships with the whole of life.
Thanks for directing me to 47 White Buffalo!
Linda, I often think about what projects you are working on and so it’s nice to hear from you again. From my seat, it seems you have it going with your art. Has something happened in particular to sour things for you? Perhaps this is too much of a generalization, but I feel artists intuit what is good and true even when they can’t verbalize it…that’s why making the art becomes necessary. Once in a while, you run into authors who are able to put into words the very things one feels. For me, reading the books of Ellen Dissanayake and Suzi Gablik resonated for me. Yes, making money from making art might be nice, but it might not be best for the art. Knowing that art has served and can still serve other more important purposes keeps me going.
Your freedom of expression seems to disappear when it comes to money, this is my feeling. You make it to sell it and therefor it needs to have something that the market wants. Even when you work with grants (public money) you have to make it according to the political trend of that moment.
The art looses its touch it becomes an item amongst the many other manmade items.
However we need to pay the bills as we live in an economical controlled society and artists are no exception of that.
I agree with you Throughstones (love that name) that we do have a role to bring people back in touch with nature (life). Art can do it in a way of not patronising people by saying what they should or should not do, but in a way of creativity showing people what otherwise they might not see.