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| Legendary Recognition In nature, the bull is tremendously strong, intelligent, ever-watchful, immensely capable and virtually unstoppable. In their profession, stunt performers must possess each of these qualities: strength, ability, versatility and determination in order to execute a stunt again and again, until all are satisfied it is perfectly captured on film...and a keen-eyed awareness to ensure safety, not only for themselves, but for all others on the set. In mythology, the bull was a favorite shape assumed by Zeus during his earthly escapades. It is the same for the stunt player, who must assume the mask of character for each new performance. In days of old, legend tells us Zeus so revered the bull that he flung it into the heavens, to be forever immortalized in the stars. Today a new legend begins for the Taurus. It returns to earth cast as a gleaming golden statuette. Its pose representative of the stunt performer: upright, proud and strong, wings aloft, ready for flight, eyes cast humbly downward. The Taurus has come to bestow honor and recognition upon the finest stunt professionals in the world. The Statuette Material: 30 bronze pieces Height: 80 cm (31,5") Weight: approx. 12 kilos (26.5 lbs) Jos Pirkner, sculptor of the Taurus statuette, was born in Silian, Eastern Tyrol, Austria, on December 2, 1927. He attended the School of Arts and Crafts in Klagenfurt and graduated with honors from the High School for Master Craftsmen in Applied Arts in Graz. It was in Salzburg as a private student of Rudolf Reinhart when he discovered his predilection for working with metal. He was admitted to the Amsterdam Academy of Fine Arts and attended the Free Academy in Utrecht, which became his home for the next 25 years. Professor Pirkner presently lives with his family in the small town of Tristach, Austria. |