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拍品專文
Barry Flanagan’s Field Day 2 (also known as Kore Horse), perfectly captures the symbolism of the horse in art history. The horse represents power, gallantry and elegance whilst still embodying a style typical of Flanagan and more usually depicted in his animated sculptures of hares. Field Day is a series which includes four etchings and three linocuts which were made before the creation of Field Day 1 in 1986, to be followed by Field Day 2 in 1987. The name Field Day shows that Flanagan wanted to give the horses an identity by associating the horse with something concrete. He explained that the name Field day is 'reminiscent of racing and one can have a field day in the sense of an enjoyable event. Calling it Field day was like naming the horse'.
Flanagan had never considered depicting a horse until he attended The Horse of San Marco exhibition at the Royal Academy, London, in 1979. Here he was struck by the ancient figures on view, especially the four gilded bronze horses, Triumphal Quadriga. He felt that the great age of these sculptures demonstrated the relationship between man and horse, and how long this relationship has been maintained. From this, he was inspired to create something with a similar elegance, producing Unicorn and Bronze Horse in 1982 and 1983 respectively. Both these works achieved the grace illustrated by Triumphal Quadriga and included a similar stance with the raised front hoof. However, they lacked the signature flare that most of his animalistic sculptures so readily possessed. The Field Day horses were the first time that Flanagan had mixed his distinctive style with ideas from Triumphal Quadriga, still incorporating the raised hoof for both sculptures. The emphasised curve of the horseback and the sinuous nature of the legs are the features in which Flanagan’s style is most profound, creating a similar form to his hares. There is little difference between Field Day 1 and Field Day 2, although the most apparent difference comes from the triangular tufts of hair which follow the neckline of Field Day 2. This hair allows Field Day 2 to appear more regal as it seems as if the horse’s mane has been groomed for an event, while also reiterating Flanagan's humorous response to his art.
Flanagan’s aim to present the horse at its most majestic is attained through the horse’s slender frame and raised neck, creating a sense of nobility and power. The raised leg mirrors the classical format of the imposing horses from Triumphal Quadriga, giving the horse a timeless elegance and recalling the long history of the use of this stance in the sculpture of antiquity. The majority of Flanagan’s sculptures are cast in bronze with a dark grey patina, demonstrated in Field Day 2. However, unlike many of his sculptures, Field Day 2 does not include the abundance of harsh striations in the bronze surface which are most commonly seen on Flanagan's hares, such as Flanagan's Nijinski Hare. The horse has a smooth and constant texture showing that Flanagan understood that fluency was required to exude this level of decorum. For Flanagan, bronze was a 'very fine material, a beautiful material', therefore it is no surprise that he used it to cast the majority of his sculptures, especially Field Day 2, considering the ideas he wanted to portray. Despite this emphasis on elegance and power, the horse displays a sense of vulnerability. It’s small frame in contrast to the more robust frame of the Bronze Horse, rendering it apparently less capable of sustaining itself due to its gentle nature.
Field Day 2 is also known as Kore Horse, in which Kore refers to a statue depicting a youthful female harking back to Ancient Greece. This second name could have been a way for Flanagan to communicate the ideas behind the horse. By juxtaposing the idea of a young woman with the image of a horse, Flanagan draws similarities between the two, reinforcing the concept of delicate beauty surrounding the horse. It also could be a suggestion of what the horse represents; Flanagan’s Nijinski Hare is representative of the Polish born Russian dancer, Vaslav Nijinsky. The hare is depicted leaping, giving the impression it is performing a dance like its namesake. As Flanagan embodied Nijinski in the form of a hare, it is possible that he meant for the Field Day 2 horse to depict a young woman, hence the title Kore.
We are very grateful to the Estate of Barry Flanagan for their assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.
Flanagan had never considered depicting a horse until he attended The Horse of San Marco exhibition at the Royal Academy, London, in 1979. Here he was struck by the ancient figures on view, especially the four gilded bronze horses, Triumphal Quadriga. He felt that the great age of these sculptures demonstrated the relationship between man and horse, and how long this relationship has been maintained. From this, he was inspired to create something with a similar elegance, producing Unicorn and Bronze Horse in 1982 and 1983 respectively. Both these works achieved the grace illustrated by Triumphal Quadriga and included a similar stance with the raised front hoof. However, they lacked the signature flare that most of his animalistic sculptures so readily possessed. The Field Day horses were the first time that Flanagan had mixed his distinctive style with ideas from Triumphal Quadriga, still incorporating the raised hoof for both sculptures. The emphasised curve of the horseback and the sinuous nature of the legs are the features in which Flanagan’s style is most profound, creating a similar form to his hares. There is little difference between Field Day 1 and Field Day 2, although the most apparent difference comes from the triangular tufts of hair which follow the neckline of Field Day 2. This hair allows Field Day 2 to appear more regal as it seems as if the horse’s mane has been groomed for an event, while also reiterating Flanagan's humorous response to his art.
Flanagan’s aim to present the horse at its most majestic is attained through the horse’s slender frame and raised neck, creating a sense of nobility and power. The raised leg mirrors the classical format of the imposing horses from Triumphal Quadriga, giving the horse a timeless elegance and recalling the long history of the use of this stance in the sculpture of antiquity. The majority of Flanagan’s sculptures are cast in bronze with a dark grey patina, demonstrated in Field Day 2. However, unlike many of his sculptures, Field Day 2 does not include the abundance of harsh striations in the bronze surface which are most commonly seen on Flanagan's hares, such as Flanagan's Nijinski Hare. The horse has a smooth and constant texture showing that Flanagan understood that fluency was required to exude this level of decorum. For Flanagan, bronze was a 'very fine material, a beautiful material', therefore it is no surprise that he used it to cast the majority of his sculptures, especially Field Day 2, considering the ideas he wanted to portray. Despite this emphasis on elegance and power, the horse displays a sense of vulnerability. It’s small frame in contrast to the more robust frame of the Bronze Horse, rendering it apparently less capable of sustaining itself due to its gentle nature.
Field Day 2 is also known as Kore Horse, in which Kore refers to a statue depicting a youthful female harking back to Ancient Greece. This second name could have been a way for Flanagan to communicate the ideas behind the horse. By juxtaposing the idea of a young woman with the image of a horse, Flanagan draws similarities between the two, reinforcing the concept of delicate beauty surrounding the horse. It also could be a suggestion of what the horse represents; Flanagan’s Nijinski Hare is representative of the Polish born Russian dancer, Vaslav Nijinsky. The hare is depicted leaping, giving the impression it is performing a dance like its namesake. As Flanagan embodied Nijinski in the form of a hare, it is possible that he meant for the Field Day 2 horse to depict a young woman, hence the title Kore.
We are very grateful to the Estate of Barry Flanagan for their assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.