Now we bring you the high brow of Super Bowl XLVIII publicity stunts. This is a classier type of Super Bowl XLVIII.
Indeed, how riveting indeed.
Seattle Art Museum (SAM) and Denver Art Museum (DAM) are betting temporary loans of major works of art based on Super Bowl XLVIII between the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos. And yes, this Super Bowl XLVIII bet is not your typical civic cuisine bet often made between mayors.
A majestic Native American mask reminiscent of a mighty “Seahawk” from SAM’s renowned Northwest Coast Native American art collection is wagered by Kimerly Rorschach, SAM’s Illsley Ball Nordstrom Director and CEO. The Broncho Buster, a bronze icon of the West by Frederic Remington from the renowned western American art collection at the DAM is wagered by Christoph Heinrich, Frederick and Jan Mayer Director. The winning city will receive a three-month loan of the prized artwork. All shipping and expenses will be paid by the city that loses the big game.
Seattle’s Super Bowl XLVIII Wager: Forehead Mask – Nuxalk First Nation ca. 1880
This Nuxalk mask shows the elegant elongation of the bird beak, a sensitive and human-like rendering of the eye/socket/brow area, with painted embellishments on the surface in black, red and blue. The open mouth suggests the ferocity of this bird of prey, possible a supernatural “man-eater”. Shredded red cedar bark symbolizes the mythical arena in which the dance-dramas would be enacted.
Denver’s Wager: The Broncho Buster – Frederic Remington
Growing up we had a replica of this in our house! (pictured above)
In 1895, Frederic Remington first endeavored to sculpt and the resulting work is one of the most enduring visual images of the American West. The bronze horse symbolizes the spirit and tenacity of the Wild West. Popular from the time of its creation, The Broncho Buster stands today as an icon of the region and is thought of as the first action bronze of a western hero.
Super Bowl XLVIII will be played Sunday, February 2. Dates of the loan are still being finalized.
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. An MBA and Fulbright scholar in media studies, he’s also an analyst for multiple news talk radio stations across the country; with regular weekly segments on ESPN, NBC, CBS and Fox Sports Radio. A former writer for NBCChicago.com and WashingtonTimes.com, he’s also been featured on the History Channel. President Barack Obama follows him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)