Trojan Horse - 2024



Starting out as a reclaimed century-old, hand-hewn granite step, Trojan Horse has been reoriented to a vertical panel with a powerful message about freedom.



Standing up for Women's Rights



Where we end up. Trojan Horse underscores the loss of body autonomy for women and the latent risks that they alone bear.



The starting point: discarded step found at the site of the stone cutters' camp on a grout pile leading to the quarry.



First challenge: raising a 330-pound stone up to the carving table by using a 6' iron bar to inch it up the 4x4 until it tips onto the table.



Sketching the design on the smooth side with a sharpie.



Scoring the sketch with a diamond blade, then starting the process of carving the body and lowering the substrate.



Lowering the substrate has the effect of raising the body above the plane of the front surface.



Substrate lowered around the body. The base is on the left, and the tale will be pushing off the base to propel the body upward.



The long process of shaping the body and smoothing the substrate. The body has a fluid movement.



Starting the delicate process of cutting four holes to accept the chains, beginning with water-cooling and a 1" core bit.



Adding stop-cuts on the reverse. Core bit not long enough, will bore pilot hole with skinny hammer drill, then drill from both sides.



Even with tiny 3/16" bit, still had a 2"x2" blowout which was only contained by the stop-cuts. Hammer drills are brutal bastards.



Now able to bore 3/4" hole from both sides with hammer drill & not cause further blowout or damage to substrate on front surface.



Repeat 4x. After cutting depth of 1/2" with core bit, center is chipped out with chisel. Then 3/4" hammer drill can be used.



Four holes done, as is final shaping of kernel in the head.



The bottom cross section is too thin for using a pinned base, given height of stone. So cutting offset recess front/back for brackets.



Late afternoon sun heightens shadows as the polishing process gets underway. There will be 9 grit levels, from 15 to 3000.



Polishing finished, took as long as carving, shaping & drilling. Stone is such a light gray that polishing doesn't change color tone much.



Crafting the base from another rough stone. Recesses for brackets are offset so opposing expansion bolts don't hit each other.



Assembly done by hanging from rafters and lowering onto base. Design allows sculpture & base to be separated for shipping to exhibits.



Detail of chains and shackles, representing the burdens of poverty, sickness and entrapment that an unintended pregnancy can bring.





INFO@StonehavenArts.com | 85 Lovejoy Road, Milford, NH 03055



Copyright (C) 2025 - Stonehaven Arts LLC - All Rights Reserved