Kadoya Gallery presents the exhibition Unbridled Souls: Portrait of the American Wild Horse, a journey through photography capturing the power, beauty and magnificence of America’s wild mustangs. Featuring the work of photojournalist/artist Bristol Mac Donald, the exhibition presents a stunning collection of fine art, black and white photography. Over 20 images poignantly tell the story of America’s last remaining mustangs. Considered to be an important and influential artist of our time, Mac Donald has dedicated the last eight years of her life documenting the spirit of the American wild horse. Her unique and captivating imagery has coveted multiple awards, international attention and highly successful gallery exhibits. A passionate advocate for America’s wild horses, Mac Donald uses her art to create awareness of the struggle the American wild horse continues to face in this country, with the number of mustangs remaining in the wild, dropping to the lowest in history. "I am driven by passion and by a devotion to tell the story of the plight of the American wild horse. I have made it a priority in my life and my art to educate and enlighten the public and inspire change." Once an American legend, a living symbol of freedom, the American wild horse is now in jeopardy of becoming extinct in a land it helped revolutionize. As a nation we have done little to extend either stewardship or respect for these noble animals. Instead we have herded them, broken them, abused them and slaughtered them. And now we are at risk of losing them forever. Bristol has traveled across the western United States observing and photographing wild horse bands in their natural habitat. Her "fine art" photography utilizes traditional photographic technique: black and white film and a single lens reflex camera. Each image is custom printed in the darkroom on fiber based, gelatin silver photographic paper. There is no digital manipulation. The photographs record what the artist saw through the lens of the camera. A portion of Bristol's photographic sales is gifted to Return to Freedom - American Wild Horse Sanctuary, a non-profit wild horse sanctuary founded in 1997 by Neda DeMayo. The sanctuary is a safe haven for over 200 wild horses, located in Lompoc, California. Return to Freedom works with other national organizations and key lawmakers in an effort to find a solution that will protect the future of America’s wild horses. "It is my greatest desire that my art touch the human spirit and encourage Americans to speak out on behalf of wild horses across the nation. We need to be their voice!"
Unbridled Souls: Portrait of the American Wild Horse
January 18—February 14, 2013