FORT WORTH, Texas\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Towering above visitors at the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame (The Cowgirl) is one of Fort Worth\u2019s most striking artistic achievements: a monumental bas relief adorning the museum\u2019s precipice, featuring 70 powerful horses frozen in motion. More than architectural detail, the relief tells a story of innovation, strength, and the enduring ethos of the West \u2014 made possible through the generosity of Art and Catherine Nicholas, owners of Wagonhound Land & Livestock Co. of Douglas, Wyo., whose support helped bring this vision to life.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith every stride carved into this fa\u00e7ade, visitors get a preview of what awaits inside \u2014 bold stories, powerful women, and the unstoppable nature of the cowgirl,\u201d said\u00a0Pat Riley, Executive Director of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. \u201cIt\u2019s our way of inviting the world to step into the story with us.\u201d<\/p>\n
The movement of the horses was inspired by\u00a0The Horse in Motion, the groundbreaking 1878 photographic study by Eadweard Muybridge. His series of cabinet cards \u2014 six sequences of six to twelve \u201cautomatic electro-photographs\u201d \u2014 captured, for the first time, the successive phases of a horse in motion. That revolutionary work changed how the world understood movement, and today its influence lives on through the Cowgirl Museum\u2019s dramatic exterior artwork.<\/p>\n
The vision behind the project was the expansion\u2019s designer, Reza Azard, owner and founder of Projectiles based in Paris, France, who worked with\u00a0\u00c9ric Anton of Artefactorylab\u00a0to create each singular motion; a daunting task that had to be interpreted in 3D as well as across curves and angles.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe worked together, the two of us, with \u00c9ric creating the 3D images,\u201d said Azard. \u201cThe concept was mine (chronophotography), and initially I thought about separating the movements to have distinct horses, but it was too rigid and too static. So, we created overlays to achieve the effect of a herd using the same horse. The result is more dynamic and more satisfying.\u201d<\/p>\n
Each horse in the relief is modeled after the conformation of the American Quarter Horse, under the guidance of The Cowgirl\u2019s President Kit Moncrief, owner of a breed chosen for its athleticism and historic role in Western culture. Though visually massive, each sculpted horse is only three inches thick, and from ear to hoof, is approximately 10 feet tall, equal to 30 hands in horse measurement, creating a remarkable contrast between delicacy of design and monumental scale.<\/p>\n
The engineering behind the installation is as impressive as the artistry. The heaviest individual panel weighs an astonishing\u00a044,700 pounds, and together all the panels total\u00a01,180,600 pounds. Full-height panels were transported from Gate Precast in Hillsboro, Texas, and installed one by one by Linbeck Construction, while smaller sections were moved in groups of two to three at a time\u2014an intricate logistical effort to bring the sweeping scene to life. A 300-ton crane was required to place each panel.<\/p>\n
With\u00a070 horses thundering across its surface, the bas relief embodies motion, heritage, and resilience, welcoming guests with a visual tribute to the cowgirl spirit before they even step inside.<\/p>\n
As the National Cowgirl Museum continues its expansion and evolution, this iconic fa\u00e7ade remains a powerful reminder that history isn\u2019t just preserved here\u2014it moves.<\/p>\n
About the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame<\/p>\n
The National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame is where history meets horsepower, and fearless women take center stage. Located in the heart of Fort Worth\u2019s Cultural District, it\u2019s the only museum in the world that celebrates the grit, grace, and guts of the women who shaped the West \u2014 and those breaking boundaries today. Through immersive exhibits, interactive galleries, and powerful storytelling, The Cowgirl highlights artists, ranchers, rodeo champions, activists, and trailblazers from all walks of life. It\u2019s not just about looking back \u2014 it\u2019s about inspiring the next generation of unstoppable women.<\/p>\n
Currently, the museum\u2019s archives house more than 4,000 artifacts, with more than 260 women enshrined in its Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n
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