Hooshang's painting "Horse Power" will be part of the fifth annual "Horizontal Grandeur" exhibition at the Stevens County Historical Museum in Morris, Minn.The opening reception is set for 6:30 p.m. July 8, with the show running through Oct. 28. In keeping with the theme, the juried show was open to artists in states or provinces that have a prairie, and the artwork must have a prairie-related premise. "Horizontal Grandeur" is an essay by the late poet, essayist and musician Bill Holm.
"People don't often associate the word 'prairie' with Louisiana," Hooshang said, "but the Coastal Prairie is located along the western Gulf coast of the United States in southwest Louisiana and
southeast Texas, just inland from the coastal marsh. It's a tallgrass prairie similar in a lot of ways to the tallgrass prairie of America's Midwest. Only about 1 percent of the Coastal Prairie that existed in pre-settlement days remains."
Hooshang's 36x48-inch acrylic painting depicts a running horse, part of his series of equine works.
The Web site Godolphin.com explains the history of the horse and shows a part of its influence on the prairie:
"Exploration and settlement of the vast North American continent would have been much more difficult, if not impossible, without horses. Although oxen pulled the pioneers' wagons west into the prairies, they are slower than horses and are not as useful. Without horses, for example, there would have been no Pony Express to deliver the mail, no cowboys to round up cattle and no stagecoaches to carry people from town to town. The horse pulled the farmer's plough, carried the cavalry soldier in battle and brought the doctor his patients."
The Stevens Historical Society began in 1922, with its beginnings traced back to the Old Settlers Association, founded in 1876. The society has worked to collect, preserve and offer educational exhibits and programming that interpret its large collection of artwork, textiles and artifacts from those who lived on the glacially formed tallgrass Minnesota prairie.
An extensive restoration and addition to the historic 1905 Carnegie Library building included an extensive open gallery area specifically designed for exhibition purposes. Local history, regional and national exhibits and programming attract thousands of visitors each year. Hours are weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and by appointment. For more information call (320) 589-1719.
