Photography credited to Sebastiano Vitale.
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 complement to the region’s passion for equestrian sport, The Project’s exhibition was framed by the elegant Arabic architecture of the VIP and Hospitality sections and hosted prominent visitors including celebrities, sheiks, members of the royal family, and other prestigious guests.
Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, chairman 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 relationship between 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, portraying 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.
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. Following the first two exhibitions at museums in Beijing and Shanghai, the collection was invited to participate in numerous equestrian events across the country, from Cavalia’s Asian tour and the Longines Global Champions Tour Hong Kong to Dalian Beach Polo.
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.
For more information on The Raw Horse or Sebastiano Vitale, visit www.therawhorse.com or contact Equinium Sports Marketing: www.equinium.com, holly@equinium.com, +1 954 205 7992.