R I P L E Y

‘Racehorse in Times Square, New York’ - Ripley 2012

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A composition which plays with the perceived understanding of the genre by using an urban cityscape.

Primary photography of the horse was completed at his training yard in Somerset, England in September 2012 and the street scene was captured a month later in New York.

With various connections between the horse and the city it seemed only apt to create an image there. By coincidence Times Square and some of the surrounding streets had been closed off for the launch of a new consumer product and this facilitated composing background-plates in areas where it would have normally been impossible to do so due to traffic.

Within the picture there are subtle references to the horse in billboards and signposts, including a picture of him winning a race at the Cheltenham Festival (UK).

The thoroughbred, whilst not being in a typical conformation pose, had a demeanour and attitude which worked beautifully with the New York street scene.

Unlike other works the cityscape is constructed from a single picture.

The piece is also known as 'American Trilogy in Times Square, New York'.

 

The portrait was first exhibited at The Jockey Club Rooms in Newmarket (UK) in July 2014. A solo exhibition entitled 'Ripley - The July Week Exhibition'. It was presented at The London Art Fair in January 2015 and exhibited at The Munnings Art Museum in October 2017 where Ripley was invited as the speaker for the inaugural Munnings Birthday Lecture.