Photographs by Jeff Taylor

That John Houser. He’s such a sly old fox, sculpting his own face on his magnificent statue of what is to be known as The Equestrian, which at one time was going to be called the Juan de Oñate, but which I recommend that we call, The European. Confused? Well, it’s all politics, really. But, putting politics aside, let’s look at the 36-foot-high, 20-ton monument for what it is – a truly amazing work of art.

Not since his own father, who was an assistant sculptor on the Mount Rushmore project – which depicts the faces of Presidents Teddy Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington – has anyone worked on a monument of these proportions. Is it any wonder that with his upbringing - and with a father who was not afraid to tackle the huge piece of rock - that John Houser decided to go the route of sculpting the largest equestrian statue in the world?

To look up into infinity, to consider the work that it took to cast this giant bronze is to look on with awe and wonder. The magnificent horse’s head – with its flaring nostrils and noble face – is simply amazing in its detail. But, can you imagine the work it took to bring such realism to something cast in bronze? Can you imagine the strength, and courage it takes to tackle something that huge, and then to do a masterful job in its creation? And to think that John Houser is such a small and frail man. Well, at least he seems that way, but he’s not. Obviously he’s tougher than many and made of much sterner stuff.

Much like Michelangelo during the Renaissance in Italy, John Houser is not afraid to tackle monumental projects. When Michelangelo created his giant David, nobody thought he could complete the project. Known as the Duccio Bloc – the 17-foot piece of white carrara marble had already been damaged by an earlier sculptor, who could not find anything within the marble. Michelangelo always believed that a figure was buried within the huge blocks. His job was to cut away all the excess marble to expose the figure within. Michelangelo always recognized the challenge to create something that would stand the test of time.

By utilizing his engineering skills, Michelangelo made the David a lasting monument that has already been in existence for more than 500 years, actually, closer to 600 years. What we must understand is that Michelangelo was a tiny man, with a heart as big as the works he created. So, goes John Houser. Houser is a small man too, slightly built, but with a heart as big as all outdoors. To my way of thinking, his creation will stand the test of time and someday he will be recognized for the amazing statue which he created of horse and rider.

The stallion’s beautiful head rises to the sky, as his front legs kick out in a powerful and dramatic fashion. His mane flows wildly, while the rider holds on for dear life. When one gazes up at such magnificence, one feels miniscule, a wee bit of humanity staring up into space seeking the steed’s bulging eyes. One almost feels weak in the midst of such magnificent power. That we lowly humans should be able to create such beauty boggles the mind. Just as we see in Michelangelo’s The Pieta the beauty and softness and acceptance of fate, the mother’s love for her dead son, we can also see in Houser’s monument the power and the force of which our world is comprised.

All told, the project cost close to $2 million – a substantial amount of money that, perhaps, could be put to better use – such as feeding the poor. But, then, humanity wouldn’t be able to appreciate such greatness. Humanity doesn’t only need sustenance, it also needs and deserves food for the soul, sustenance for the eyes. We need powerful symbols. Don’t want to think of the rider as being Oñate? Then picture John Houser instead. Or picture yourself, or picture Pancho Villa, or Emiliano Zapata, or Don Benito Juarez. Create the image in your mind, and accept this powerful symbol for what it is, a great and amazing work of art.

I know that we won’t soon forget the brutality that Oñate and other Europeans brought to the so-called new world, but as time passes, and as the bronze colossus stares down at us puny humans, maybe we’ll even forget about the rider. He’s not so important after all. It could be John Houser, it could be you, it could be me, it could be anybody. The noble animal’s beauty is what strikes me the most. The rider is almost insignificant, although to sculpt horse and rider in such huge proportions must have taken a significant amount of power and skill – John Houser had that significant amount of power and skill.

So, let’s welcome this magnificent work of art for what it is – art! Yeah, we’ll still discuss the atrocities that Oñate and others of his ilk wrought on native peoples. But, hopefully, in time, we can accept the colossus in our heart of hearts. Forget that Oñate, ostensibly, sits atop the horse. Blast away at his sins if you will, but leave the horse and rider alone. John Houser only deserves accolades and praise for what will one day be accepted as El Paso’s most astonishing and beautiful work of art.

Sin Fin

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Joe Olvera is a freelance writer who lives in beautiful El Paso. He can be reached at jolvera@aliviane.org .