The Society of Equestrian Artists (SEA) is relocating its 2016 Annual Open Exhibition, The Horse in Art from London to the new National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art (formerly the National Horseracing Museum), in Newmarket.
This will be the 37th Annual Exhibition and the Society’s seventh as an Open Show and will include a mix of paintings, drawings, sculpture and original print. It will also be an exciting year for the SEA to commence its relationship with the new ‘home of Sporting Art’ as Newmarket is not only celebrating the opening of the fantastic facility at Palace House but also its 350 years of heritage and affiliation with British horseracing.
2016 Cuneo Medal Winner Malcolm Coward Hon SEA – ‘Study of Grey’
The exhibition builds on a growing relationship with the Horseracing Museum whose significant support has allowed the SEA to promote three solo exhibitions of previous Cuneo Medal winners; Hannah Merson SEA, Glynis Mills Hon. SEA and Malcolm Coward Hon. SEA, along with other mixed shows. The logo to mark the 350 years anniversary, and which unites all activity throughout the year, has been designed by Michelle McCullagh SEA.
The exhibition will show a selection of submissions from SEA artists and open entries. It will also feature work from the 2016 Cuneo Medal winner (the most prestigious award to a Full Member of the SEA – and named in honour of the group’s first President, Sir Terence Cuneo CVO, OBE, RGI). The 2016 Cuneo Medal is judged from entries at the Cuneo Medal Exhibition held at Porlock’s Churchgate Gallery in June. The 2015 and 2016 winner was Malcolm Coward Hon. SEA – internationally recognised as one of England’s leading equestrian artists. Past winners also include Susie Whitcombe, Tom Coates, Colin Allbrook, Sally Martin and Dennis Syrett.
Debbie Dunbar SEA – ‘The Tree Line’
Other awards bestowed by the SEA include: Denford Stud Best in Show, the British Sporting Art Trust Award for the best sculpture, the Banstead Manor Award for the best sporting picture, the Horse and Hound Award for the best hunting picture or sculpture, the International Thoroughbred Magazine Award (a commission for a front cover) for the best depiction of a Thoroughbred in any medium and the new Dr Robert Fountain Award; for the best original print.
As part of this year’s exhibition activity there will be a competition to produce and submit a piece of art created on the exhibition’s opening day. Participants will pay a fee for a board (collected from the gallery) and then set off into Newmarket to capture their own interpretation of what the horse means to the town. The competition will be open to the public. The winning submission will be hung as part of the exhibition at Palace House Mews, where the workshop pictures will be judged prior to the Private View that evening where all entries will be shown.
Gill Parker SEA – ‘Frankel’ bronze
The exibition will be held at the National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art, Palace House Mews, Newmarket • 21st November – 4th December 2016.
For more information visit www.equestrianartists.co.uk/index.php/horse-in-art-2016
