There was a benighted age when art museums and other architecture claiming spiritual or civic value, would present themselves to the world with a guardian sculptural presence at the entrance.  Equestrian statuary was a favorite especially heroic-scale monuments to military conquests that benefited the local culture.

We who have planned this reunion of ancient and contemporary enfant terribles thought this idea was passé,  however numerous artistics from other eras demanded commissioned opportunities to supply the swirling manes, tails, feathered and braided hats, swords, guns, triumphant flags, and other sharply delineated military hardware.  There were sympathetic pleas (among the dead artists) about missed commissions; and agonizing testimonials of the breaking and remelting of their bravura bronze masterpieces, in order to cast cannon for the battles that saved their culture (or destroyed someone else’s).

We agreed that Illinois politico’s well-deserved reputation of saber-rattling  and daring calls for other people’s actions, should be immortalized in bronze.  The mock heroics and primal chants at political conventions which have occurred here often make strident calls for cannon fire.

Commissioning funds were limited, but we anticipate that imagination will be forthcoming and amply supply what is missing.  Thus we have chosen a quasi-historical heroic hobby-horse as the main guardian figure for the Temporary Museum of Enfant Terrible Culture.    “The Loose-Cannon”

To date the memorial plaque hasn’t been ordered but the docent’s script somewhat follows Yorick’s comment.  “Remember! All Hail  the Loose-Cannon! ‘Tis true! The odds have it!…even the loosest cannon will, now and then, be aimned in the right direction!”

True, but it is unlikely to be in balance…more on that next Saturday.