The winning sculpture from the 2011 Public Art Exhibition on Hilton Head Island was recently installed at Chaplin Linear Park.
“Family,” a series of three horses, was purchased by the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry and donated to the Town of Hilton Head Island to be permanently installed for our community members and visitors to enjoy.
The artist, Jonathan Bowling of Greenville, North Carolina, provided the following statement. “This is series of steel horses, which focus on interior and negative space as much as on the contours and surface” said Bowling. “I envision each “horse” as a series of abstract sculptures which combine to form an armature for the whole.” Bowling used a forge to give the mane and tail organic curves, to contrast with the construction of the body. The materials used are from the turn of the last century, which Bowling felt was appropriate for depicting an animal so intertwined with our agrarian past.
Background
The Community Foundation of the Lowcountry created a Public Art Fund in 2006 for the purposes of funding and acquiring public art and outdoor sculpture to be placed in the public realm on Hilton Head Island.
The first project was a commissioned bronze statue of Charles Fraser. One of the most compelling photos ever shot of Charles was as he was walking alongside an alligator on a golf course. It is this image that was captured in sculpture form and unveiled at Compass Rose Park on April 17, 2010 as a gift to the Town of Hilton Head Island.
In 2011, the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry’s inaugural Public Art Exhibition was an occasion to honor and embrace Hilton Head Island’s rich history and cultural influences. Selected from a field of more than 300 entries, the 20 outdoor pieces from all over the country added an additional element to the events and activities that occurred on the island this past fall.
