For years I’ve been following the progress of the Crazy Horse Memorial, the world's largest sculpture, now in progress, located just 17 miles southwest of Mount Rushmore. I want to share a few pictures for those of you who are unfamiliar with this project or haven’t followed its progress recently. Monuments like Mount Rushmore contain images carved into a mountain, but this is the first time the dream of carving an entire mountain will become reality. The Crazy Horse Memorial, carved with dynamite, will be the largest work of art ever created by the hands of man. Not even the pharaohs of Egypt dreamt on this scale.
Korczak Ziolkowski, the sculptor responsible for the Memorial, assisted in the creation of Mount Rushmore. Ziolkowski a self-taught sculptor of Polish heritage, became interested in the plight of Native Americans early in life. Ziolkowski and Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear officially started Crazy Horse Memorial June 3, 1948. The Memorial’s mission is to honor the culture, tradition and living heritage of North American Indians.
Ziolkowski worked on the project until his death on October 20, 1982, at age 74. During his nearly 36 years of working on the mountain, he refused to take any salary. He knew he wouldn’t live to see this project completed, and when he died he left the project in the hands of his ten children, encouraging them to work slowly in order to do it right. The following pictures (borrowed from Google Images) show the immensity of this project. For more images and information on this amazing endeavor I encourage you to check out the Crazy Horse Memorial website.
Good thing he had so many kids to carry on the project, but it seems like it'll take another 60 years at least to get it done. So I hope all his kids had lots of kids.
ReplyDeleteSurely they must make mistakes, it's dinamite! How do they fix mistakes or do they just adjust the sculpture?
ReplyDeleteIt is absolutly incredible what man can do with talent and patience.
Wow, that is incredible. I don't know how I haven't heard of this. Although it is unlikely, I'd love to see the finished sculpture in my life time. Hopefully more advanced methods will be discovered to speed up the process.
ReplyDeleteOMG this is amazing!
ReplyDeleteAbout the only things left on my bucket list are to see Mt. Rushmore & the Crazy Horse Memorial!!
ReplyDeleteIt does look to be a monumental project. To figure out what to take away, in that volume, is impressive.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of those times when the words "Only in America" spring to my lips. Wonderful vision, this. I would love to see it.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I were just talking about this within the last couple of days. It's been a a number of years since we have been up to that area and we were surprised to see the progress that has been made since our last visit in the late 90's. That area is just so beautiful. I am thinking we need to take another trip up there soon. The story of Ziolkowski is really pretty amazing.
ReplyDeleteWow, this is awesome and I hate to admit that I didn't have a clue about this. I'd love to see this in person.
ReplyDeleteHave a terrific day. :)
I saw this gigantic project back in the day when it looked most like the first pic. Part of me thinks this is super cool, and the other part thinks we should let all these mountains alone. The original Mt Rushmore, a tribute to US presidents built on sacred Sioux territory, was a slap in the face to indigenous people, so Ziolkowski's vision is quite complicated, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteThe sculpture itself is truly amazing in its scale.
An extraordinary sense of vision and dedication in this project. The great endurance of a dream!
ReplyDeleteI saw this when I was out west! Amazing!
ReplyDeleteVery cool and he's lucky to have so many to carry on the project :)
ReplyDeleteGS and I were there two years ago. There's is quite a visitors center and a lot of tourists to help pay to finish the monument.
ReplyDeleteWow. Just, wow. Thank you, i didn't know how it was going, though i had heard a memorial was in progress.
ReplyDeleteA friend who just completed a Harley bike ride around that area told me about the monument. He said photos can't do it justice. It looks very amazing to me. What an incredible feat for a man to even contemplate.
ReplyDeleteTotally awesome! I love the pictures, particularly the full-on face.
ReplyDeleteIt is one of those must sees that I have never seen. I am thinking I should be taking my grandson next summer. A must do historical trip. He will be 8, and maybe I can make it meaningful. Any ideas?
ReplyDeleteThis is an amazing project. Talk about patience!!!!
ReplyDeleteS
Wow! I didn't even know about this. How could I not have heard about this? Amazing! I wonder how many years they think it will take to finish it? This is going to be stunning! Thanks for sharing this. :)
ReplyDeleteI was there as a kid in the early 1970s. When the Crazy Horse Memorial was still a twinkle in the sculptor's eye.
ReplyDeleteThat's amazing! How interesting for an artist to work on a project knowing that he likely wouldn't live to see its completion.
ReplyDeleteWow - what patience and persistence to keep working on this for so long. I just added this to my bucket list.
ReplyDeleteWas not aware of this project. Since it's been going since 1948 I have to ask where was I. I also visited Mt Rushmore in 1968. I like the history time line if the project which you have given us.
ReplyDeleteIt's stunningly beautiful and hard to believe it's made from a dynamited mountain. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI dropped by (and followed) from the IWSG blog-hop, and I'm happy to meet you. :-)
I did not know about this. (It's not in my microcosm.) Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Wow this is amazing, thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThat is very interesting and amazing. That man had great dedication to the project to stick with it for years especially while not receiving monetary gain from it. I will have to check out the website.
ReplyDeleteAmazing. Thanks for the info and link
ReplyDeleteWowsa! I definitely need to check this out.
ReplyDeleteA-MAZ-ING. What vision and how wonderful to have a heart for Crazy Horse and the Americans who were living in this land when the foreigners arrived and claimed the land. I love that the sculptor admonished his children to continue the project and do it right.
ReplyDeletean incredible project .. seeing it evolve is breathtaking
ReplyDeleteHoly cow- what an amazing project- I didn't realize how long it had been since the artist started -
ReplyDeletethanks for the update.
The scale of the Crazy Horse project is pretty incredible. Of course, I'll not see it finished in my lifetime so I really don't care.
ReplyDeletethanks for the update. i saw it 25 yrs ago when i traveled across the US. it still has a long way to go but it's come a long way since then.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely amazing!
ReplyDeleteMissed you for the IWSG post this past Wednesday. Our next one is October 3.
ReplyDeleteThat's incredible. Thanks for posting this.
ReplyDeletexoRobyn