EQUINE ART REVIEW - UAE ROYALS EXHIBITION - EQUINIUM - SEBASTIANO VITALE

Sebastiano Vitale

THE RAW HORSE PROJECT BRINGS UNIQUE EXPOSE ON THE SPIRIT OF THE

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (May 27, 2016) – Set

among the sport and spectacle of the most prestigious

polo tournament in the Middle East, The Raw Horse

Project’s collection of unique equestrian images brought

an artistic and philosophical element to the HH President

of UAE Polo Cup, held in the beginning of 2016 at the

Ghantoot Racing and Polo Club in Abu Dhabi. A perfect

compliment to the region’s passion for equestrian sport,

The Project’s exhibition was framed by elegant Arabic

architecture of the VIP and Hospitality section and

hosted guests including celebrities, sheiks, members of

the royal family, and other prestigious guests.

Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed Al

Nahyan, chairmain of the Ghantoot Racing and Polo

Club, the HH President of UAE Polo Cup is held in the

name of the UAE’s president and features two weeks of

tournament competition culminating in the Grand Final.

Known as the most exclusive and state-of-the-art polo

experience in the UAE, the event also serves as a ‘must

attend’ sporting and lifestyle event in the Emirate. While

the qualifying matches are closed to the public, the Final

welcomed all spectators to enjoy its unique combination

of international polo and entertainment, including a

juxtaposition of medieval falconry followed by aerial

displays and choreography by military jets over the lush

green fields of the historic polo club.

As a visual hymn to the to the relationship between

EQUINE TO HH PRESIDENT OF UAE POLO CUP

horse and human, The Raw Horse depicts the sheer

beauty, peace, and freedom of the equine. The images

range from impressionistic to precise, and compose

an optic allegory of the horse, painting the equine as

a metaphor of the ancestral human feelings of peace,

nobility, fear, freedom, vivacity, sadness, and love. The

limited edition fine art prints are featured in a select

number of galleries from Shanghai to Los Angeles, and

include a series of photographic objects and sculpture

intended for collectors and private galleries. Following

its debut in the Middle East, The Raw Horse Project will

add Abu Dhabi to its list of local galleries, and received

special interest to collaborate on projects for the Royal

Family by the Prince of the UAE, HH Sheikh Khalifa bin

Sultan bin Hamdan Al Nahyan.

Equestrian culture in the UAE focuses on the Sheiks

and their families, who are the primary sponsors the

events and owners of the venues and horses. The strong

connection to religion, nature, landscape, and animals,

defines the atmosphere and passion for equestrian sports

in this part of the world. High levels of disposable

income, advancing technology, and a true enjoyment of

the sport combine with traditional values and a deep

bond with the natural world to make the Middle East a

rapidly expanding and international caliber destination

for equestrian sport. Racing and endurance riding are

the preferred and featured disciplines, due in large

part to the legacy of the sport and the Arabian horses

that have been selectively bred and competed on the

continent for millennia. But the infusion of western

and Spanish breeds, as well as the disciplines in which

they excel, are making their mark on the Middle East’s

growing equestrian demographics.

The brainchild of Italian photographer Sebastiano

Vitale, The Raw Horse Project brought the spirit of the

horse to Asia in 2015, where it was featured at multiple

exhibitions across China to resounding approval. The

primal poetry of The Raw Horse caught the attention

of Cavalia creator and co-founder of Cirque du Soleil,

Normand Latourelle. Vitale and his photography

were selected to join the Cavalia Asian tour, based in

Shanghai, and featured limited edition Raw Horse prints

on display in the fantastic Cavalia show tent erected

adjacent to the China Art Museum.

Vitale, who is based mainly out of the United States

in winter and spring, The Raw Horse Project also

commissions a select number of private shoots for

clients per year. His portfolio of work includes some of

the biggest names in entertainment and equestrianism,

including T.E.A.M. Israel’s equestrian team in

Wellington, Florida, and Rolling Stone’s drummer

Charlie Watts, his wife, Shirley, and their Polish bred

Arabians. Vitale’s photography has been featured

in numerous mainstream and equestrian magazines,

and his background includes more than 15 years of

experience in art, mass communication, and visual

journalism, creating campaigns for FIAT, the Olympic

Games, RAI, and Atlanta International Airport.