"I was invited this year to curate an exhibition in support of the Dawn Horse Project in Herne Bay. This was to celebrate, and draw attention to, the discovery in 1838 of the first known fossil of the earliest common ancestor of all modern horses. The animal was named Hyracotherium and its finding entitled us, according to the palaeontologists at the Natural History Museum, to claim Herne Bay as Home of the Horse.
The exhibition was in two galleries of Beach Creative in Herne Bay. One gallery was to be occupied by an immersive audio-visual installation that drew the connections between that earliest of horses and aspects of the modern animal. This was the creation of HorseDrawnMedia : Nicholas Godsell and Al Reffell.
The installation LightHorse DarkHorse, that they produced was entrancing, comprising a short film detailing the finding and significance of the fossil, peep hole animations of Muybridge’s motion photography, and zoetrope, a kinetic piece that graphically drew the connection between the carousel and war horses. As well as large room projections, artwork and graphic imagery.
The installation was a valuable and complementary element to the second gallery which comprised more conventional artwork (painting sculpture and graphics) investigating similar themes. As far as I know this was the first of this type of installation undertaken by these two artists. Watching them work during set-up and seeing the result of all their attention to detail, I sincerely hope it won’t be the last. I cannot recommend them highly enough."
David Cross
Artist/Designer
2017
Curator Duchamp in Herne Bay 2013
Previously an exhibitions officer
for Canterbury Museums & Galleries
The exhibition was in two galleries of Beach Creative in Herne Bay. One gallery was to be occupied by an immersive audio-visual installation that drew the connections between that earliest of horses and aspects of the modern animal. This was the creation of HorseDrawnMedia : Nicholas Godsell and Al Reffell.
The installation LightHorse DarkHorse, that they produced was entrancing, comprising a short film detailing the finding and significance of the fossil, peep hole animations of Muybridge’s motion photography, and zoetrope, a kinetic piece that graphically drew the connection between the carousel and war horses. As well as large room projections, artwork and graphic imagery.
The installation was a valuable and complementary element to the second gallery which comprised more conventional artwork (painting sculpture and graphics) investigating similar themes. As far as I know this was the first of this type of installation undertaken by these two artists. Watching them work during set-up and seeing the result of all their attention to detail, I sincerely hope it won’t be the last. I cannot recommend them highly enough."
David Cross
Artist/Designer
2017
Curator Duchamp in Herne Bay 2013
Previously an exhibitions officer
for Canterbury Museums & Galleries