Horse Show!

This carnival of equine art brings together works by leading modern and contemporary artists, alongside pieces from the Medieval world and Antiquity, to explore the complex sensibilities and varying incarnations of the horse in art. A visual spectacle as well as a curated collection, there is something for everyone in this exhibition, which is, above all, a celebration of this extraordinary animal, and the long and entangled history of humans and horses.  

The Long Gallery at Messums West originally functioned as an equine stable. Now, once again, it will house a herd of horses of all varieties, in the form of a series of rare and significant artworks – historical and contemporary – in a range of media, brought together in a show that considers the horse in art history. Of all the creatures with which humanity shares the planet, the horse, with its inherent gracefulness, intelligence, speed, resilience and courage, has arguably inspired the strongest feelings of fascination and empathy – an affinity reflected in more than 30,000 years of artistic representation in both the Eastern and Western worlds. The history of humanity’s interaction with nature is a tale of subjugation and exploitation; yet the horse, perhaps unlike any other animal, has garnered a unique place in the human psyche, and humanity’s relationship with horses, in most cultures, has been one of co-dependence, partnership, admiration and mutual respect. This exhibition explores artists’ creative responses to equine subjects, and the role of the horse as a symbol of power and an ally in war; the subject of anatomical scrutiny, and the Romantic embodiment of human feeling; and as an emblem of sporting pleasures and prowess. In particular, it sheds light on humanity’s intimate relationship with the horse, and on the duality inherent in a fellow sentient animal caught between the wild calls and the tamed world.   

Exhibiting artists include: Robert Bevan, Tessa Campbell-Fraser, Zoë Carmichael, Marc Chagall, Joseph Crawhall RSW, Hans Erni, Nic Fiddian Green, Dame Elisabeth Frink, Rigby Graham, Sophie Green, Nicola Hicks, Frippy Jameson, Heather Jansch, Makoto Kagoshima, Wassily Kandinsky, Marino Marini, Pablo Picasso, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Bouke de Vries, Brian Taylor and David William-Ellis.