Mechanical Horse

Mechanical parts and other scraps. Who knew you could make a horse out of that? The mechanical horse is just off Stephen Ave. And it’s a piece that makes just about every person stop to take a look at it. It certainly is unusual… and life size! If ever there were a sci-​fi movie made about Calgary, I would expect someone to bring the mechanical horse to life.
What does it signify? Why’s it there? I haven’t the foggiest idea. Maybe it’s the industrialization of the west. Maybe it’s meant for nothing more than to remind me of Will Smith in Wild Wild West.
The photo snapper in me wants to get up-​close and personal with this horse. There’s all manner of weird angles and spaces to get a shot from. And then I’ll hop on, and we’ll ride off into the sunset, me and my trusty steed… or maybe I’ll bring my hobby horse along instead. We might get a little farther!

Walking down Stephen Avenue for lunch I stopped on the southwest corner of Stephen Avenue and Centre for a do-​not-​walk sign. Bored with the wait and spinning around like a ten year old at a bus stop, I turned behind me to see someone whom I have seen many times, but never taken the opportunity to talk to. I turned around to see the famous Mechanical House starring at me as if to say «how are you doing?» in a brutally faked Brooklyn accent.
I never really took a long look at the sculpture before which seems to made of junk mechanical parts. A younger Arc would look at this piece and scheme of ways to ride this steed for stress relief after a night of semi-​sophisticated inebriation. However, as a more mature Arc, my thoughts were one of admiration. Though I am no artist myself, I could appreciate the work that went into this piece. It’s gorgeous. It made me think about how a pile of junk and useless parts can be made into something beautiful, relevant to its environment (the stampede symbolizing the wild spirit that is Calgary) and just plain productive. I guess with enough work you can make and shape anything into something beautiful and value to its community. Good lesson to take back to work, great lesson to carry with me for the rest of my life.
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