Keeper of the Plains

Keeper of the Plains

When searching the art world for a piece that really connects to me emotionally I thought of nothing better than Wichita’s own Keeper of the Plains. Completed in 1974, the Keeper of the Plains is a 13.4-meter (44 feet) tall weathered steel statue located right at the confluence of the Arkansas and Little Arkansas River in downtown Wichita, Kansas. Designed by Kiowa-Comanche artist named Blackbear Bosin the statue has a base in which is covered with displays that describe the local tribes that inhabited the area in where it is now standing today. The statue also features a fire pit that illuminates manually each night.
The Keeper of the Plains can provide many emotional connections some being such as a tribe, or a sense of power and/or pride, however for me it has a lot more meaning than most people may see. Not only does the Keeper of the Plains represent and stand for the city I was raised from, but also it can provide many characteristics that can connect to people’s life. For instance, the statue faces the city of Wichita; for me, this shows a sense of protection and/or strength for the city, almost as if the Keeper was placed her to protect or watch the city from bad or negative spirits. Not only does it face towards the city, but it also is looking up and almost praying to the sky. With this feature of the statue being presented, it almost to me seems as if it’s showing you that you can always look up. Even the biggest, toughest figure, the keeper overlooking Wichita for example, can still look up for help, support, and hope. This is extremely important and symbolic to me because I am a strong believer of always fighting for you and being strong-minded but there is always time to look up and hope for more. There is no limit to happiness so why stop looking once you find it and I feel the statue can portray this if you really think about it. The artist used a very standard and broad body type and or figure for the statue, this could make an emotional tie...

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