Christ of the Ozarks
 | |
| Coordinates | 36°24′32″N 93°43′31″W / 36.409000°N 93.725268°WCoordinates: 36°24′32″N 93°43′31″W / 36.409000°N 93.725268°W |
|---|---|
| Location | Eureka Springs, Arkansas, United States |
| Type | statue |
| Height | 20 metres (66 ft) |
| Completion date | 1966 |
| Dedicated to | Jesus Christ |
Christ of the Ozarks statue is a monumental sculpture of Jesus located near Eureka Springs, Arkansas, atop Magnetic Mountain. It was erected in 1966 as a "Sacred Project" by Gerald L. K. Smith. The statue stands 65.5 feet (20 meters) high.
Background[]
During the Great Depression, Gerald L. K. Smith served as an organizer for Huey P. Long's Share Our Wealth movement and led it briefly following Long's assassination in 1935. After many years of highly controversial, religiously charged activism, Smith retired to Eureka Springs, Arkansas, where he bought and renovated an old mansion. On other parts of the estate property, he planned a religious theme park, which he called "Sacred Projects". He commissioned the centerpiece, a gigantic statue of Jesus, completed in 1966. It is called Christ of the Ozarks.[1]
He also completed a 4,100-seat amphitheater. This is the site of seasonal annual outdoor performances of The Great Passion Play, styled after the show performed in Oberammergau, Germany. It is performed four or five nights a week from the first week of May through the end of October.[2]
Design[]
The statue was primarily the work of Emmet Sullivan, who also worked on nearby Dinosaur World. He had assisted in the work at Mount Rushmore. The statue is modernistic and minimalistic; there is little facial detail or expression, and the lines and forms are generally simplified. The arms are outstretched straight, suggesting the Crucifixion; however the cross is not depicted.
In popular culture[]
The Christ of the Ozarks is featured briefly in the 2005 movie Elizabethtown and in the 1988 movie Pass the Ammo. It is also featured during the intro theme to True Detective, Season 3, which was filmed in the Ozarks region of Arkansas. It is featured in a 2018 documentary The Gospel of Eureka.
See also[]
References[]
- ^ "Gerald Lyman Kenneth Smith (1898–1976)", The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture, 2009, accessed 10 May 2011
- ^ "The Great Passion Play".
External links[]
- "Christ of the Ozarks", The Great Passion Play Website
- Sacred Projects: Christ of the Ozarks
- "Reading Too Much Into ‘True Detective’: Details You May Have Missed From The Season Premiere", UpRoxx
- Outdoor sculptures in Arkansas
- Statues in Arkansas
- Colossal statues of Jesus
- Buildings and structures in Eureka Springs, Arkansas
- Concrete sculptures in the United States
- Buildings and structures completed in 1966
- Tourist attractions in Carroll County, Arkansas
- 1966 sculptures
- 1966 establishments in Arkansas