SKYPac Featuring: John Stephen Hockensmith: Spanish Mustangs May 3rd – June 30th.

Sweeping panorama on the profound impact of the reintroduction of horses to North America, stunningly brought to life by dazzling images of Spanish Mustang descendants.

“Viewers will have the unique experience to understand the horse as a performer and better understand how the horse rose to prominence in American culture,” shares Andee Rudloff, SKyPAC Education & Visual Arts Director.

Horses are an integral part of the American experience, so tied with the development of the nation and its psyche that it is impossible to imagine history without them. Yet prior to the arrival of the early Spanish explorers, horses had been missing from the North American continent for millennia due to a natural phenomenon that still eludes explanation. In this rich alchemy, celebrated equine photographer John S. Hockensmith analyzes how the return of horses with the conquistadors forever changed both the native cultures and the subsequent development of the country that would become the most powerful in the world.

Stunning photographs of modern horses that carry the distinctive traits of their Spanish, Arab and Barb forebears paint the pages with vivid color. Captured visually in the rugged Rocky Mountains or the rolling grassy plains of the West, these horses are our shared living legacy. From the tender private moments between mare and foal to the aggressive determination of clashing stallions, Hockensmith throws open a breathtaking window on the vista of these horses’ lives.

With ongoing debate about the future of America’s wild horses, many of which also trace their ancestry back to the Spanish steeds and the early mustangs, this work will stand as a significant marker on the mutual path traveled by horse and human.

A native of Georgetown, Kentucky, John S. Hockensmith maintains an art studio and gallery, he is particularly known for his photographic work depicting the Kentucky Derby and exotic breeds of horses. He also has written Gypsy Horses and the Travelers’ Way, a poetically insightful view of the secluded yet vibrant world of the Romanis of northern England and their prized horses.