Oklahoma State University Athletics
OSU Receives Bullet-Inspired Work For Display
November 19, 2003 | General
For artist Chuck Reinhorn, the famous duo signals a success of a different kind. His latest work titled “Here Comes Bullet” depicts the familiar scene that occurs after every OSU touchdown at home football games.
The work is the first piece placed in a universityand a rare venture into western art by Reinhorn, who normally concentrates his efforts in the classical realm.
While on a trip in Texas in 1998, he came across a photo in the local newspaper of the black horse in full stride. The Memphis, Tenn., resident was immediately struck by the image and, with the encouragement of his wife, undertook just his second piece of work depicting a horse in 10 years as an artist.
The end result is a striking sculpture standing six feet in height and weighing more than 250 pounds that is now on display in the O-Club Room in the OSU Athletics Center courtesy of its generous donation by the retired dentist.
“The idea of cowboys and cowgirls has been lost. Western art is alive and well, but needs more exposure,” Reinhorn said. “I wanted to deliver a tribute to western art.”
From the six-month long project emerged a flag-bearing rider sitting poised and dignified while controlling a “beast raging with energy”.
Mounted atop a piece of limestone, horse and rider total 30 inches in height and are composed of 13 pieces of cast bronze, carefully welded together and painted, giving it a soft, buckskin-colored appearance. To complete his work, Reinhorn called on James Borders of Natchitoches, Louisiana to construct a black steel base to accentuate the focal points of the sculpture.
In actuality, “Here Comes Bullet” is two works in one he explains, with the base and the bronze centerpiece being brought together to form a more significant finished piece.
“When people work together, the end product is greater than the sum of its parts,” Reinhorn explained.
He has always had a fondness for horses because he feels there has always been a connection between humans and horses and says he creates works of this nature simply because of the enjoyment that comes with it.
Upon touring the OSU campus, Reinhorn says he could immediately see the university's appreciation for art through works such as the Spirit Rider and OSU Memorial and received confirmation his piece had found its appropriate place.
“People will connect with the piece because it has a lot of energy,” Reinhorn said. “The idea behind it was to express force.”
