Horses of Honor

People participating in art is a big theme of mine, and so I was happy to learn of a big public art project this fall in the city of Chicago.

Called "Horses of Honor," it is the display along the Miracle Mile section of Michigan Avenue of life-sized fiberglass horse statues decorated in various themes.  Local businesses, organizations and families pay for the opportunity to sponsor a horse and then arrange for it to be painted in an interesting style.

Sixty horses have been put up so far, and as many as 40 others are being staged.  As the display ends, through November and December, the horses will be auctioned.

Proceeds will go to the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation, which provides aid to the families of officers who are killed or seriously injured in the line of duty.  Since 1853, 562 members of Chicago's Finest have died on the job.

Chicago people and tourists get the pleasure of seeing what creative minds can do with a fun project.  Since I have no plans for travel to Chicago this fall, I called several sponsoring organizations, whose representatives shared these photos with me.

Integra Graphics by artist Vic Vaccaro

Erie-LaSalle Body Shop by its in-house artists

Chicago Speedway and Rte. 66 Raceway by Don McClelland

24Seven Talent by Dawn Korman

Brasserie by LM by Kevin Riordan

Harry Caray's 7th Inning Stretch by C.J. Hungerman

Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel by Jake Merten

For many more photos, check out the Horses of Honor page on Facebook.

Too Much Love

If there is a downside to this project, it is that people are too enthused about the horses.

Shortly after the installations began, one horse was damaged by a 25-year-old man who climbed onto its back to pose for a photograph.  He was hauled off to the hoosegow and charged with three vandalism felonies.

Then, on the day of the Chicago Marathon, a family leaned against another horse to pose for their own photo.  Unfortunately, they knocked the horse over, and the fall broke the horse in half.  No word on whether Mom, Pop and the kids were jailed.

Several other horses have been damaged in similar situations.

I think I understand these peoples' actions.  If I saw a brightly painted statue of a horse, I would assume that it was as sturdy as an actual horse.  My first impulse would be to climb aboard and get a friend to take a picture.

In any event, these isolated incidents probably will not be repeated.  Chicago's news media have mobilized to warn the citizenry not to get too personally involved with the Horses of Honor.