Hi everyone, and welcome to Viz City, KLCC's art review program. I'm Sandy Brown Jensen, and I want to share a hidden treasure with you this holiday season.
While the major galleries are closed for the holidays, the Oblivion Gallery in Eugene's Light Industrial Area is open this Saturday from 1 to 6 pm. And what awaits you there is remarkable.
Step inside the studio, and you'll be greeted by a chrome horse and rider that soars twelve feet toward the ceiling. This isn't just any sculpture – it's a story cast in metal. The piece depicts the last chief of the Wenatchee Indians on his favorite horse, but what makes it extraordinary is hidden in plain sight.
When creating this public artwork, sculptor and gallery owner Jud Turner reached out to the Wenatchee community for donations of old farm equipment and tools.
One family, who had purchased the very land where the chief lived until 1937, made an astonishing discovery in their barn: the actual horseshoes worn by the chief's horse a century ago. These historical treasures are now part of the sculpture, creating a powerful bridge between past and present.
The gallery showcases more of Judd and his wife Renee Mahni's remarkable work, including Renee’s Ella, a life-sized Scottish Highland cow so realistically crafted from welded steel that visitors mistake it for leather.
You'll also find racing rabbits inspired by Watership Down, graceful salmon, and the current exhibition of Barbara Counsil's "Land as Deity."
The Oblivion Gallery is at 3925 Cross Street – turn west on Roosevelt off Highway 99, follow your GPS, and watch for the large sign.
If you recognize Jud's work from the chrome heron at the downtown riverfront or the triceratops at Ninkasi, you know you're in for a treat. Make this holiday weekend an adventure with a visit to one of Eugene's most fascinating artistic spaces.
