VISUAL FESTIVAL OF COLORFUL GYPSY CULTURE
TO BEGIN AT THE KENTUCKY HORSE PARK

 -- Rare views of a vibrant but hidden world and the horses at its center --

LEXINGTON, KY. – A breakthrough photographic exhibition taking visitors on a vivid ride through the magical world of the Romani Gypsies of England and the bold pinto horses they cherish will open June 17 and extend through September 10 at the Kentucky Horse Park’s International Museum of the Horse.

Photographer John S. Hockensmith joined a prominent Gypsy family in 2004 and 2005 for the Gypsies’ annual pilgrimage to Appleby Fair, a gathering both boisterous and spiritual that is rooted in more than 300 years of history. Along the 60-mile, horse-drawn journey through the picturesque villages and misty moors of northern England, Hockensmith captured luminous landscapes, pensive portraits and intimate details of a culture seldom seen by those who are not Gypsies.

The striking Gypsy horses, which are rapidly gaining in popularity through recent exports to North America and elsewhere, are a primary spoke in the wheel of Romani life and thus are the heart of the exhibition, which is titled Gypsy Horses and the Travelers’ Way. Hockensmith’s images reveal the sweat of their toil while pulling the Gypsies’ brightly painted living wagons, the kindness of their natures as they gently carry children on their bare backs, and the raw beauty and power of their flowing strides across lush pastures.

“I’ve never been drawn into a subject quite like this,” said Hockensmith, whose equine photography has gained world renown. “The experience was beyond the bounds of my imagination.  It’s no exaggeration to say that it was life changing as I lived with the Gypsies and their horses, experiencing both their strengths and the challenges of their lives as seen through the prism of their view that happiness lies in the here and now. The awesome strength yet kind gentleness of these horses, which are typically marked in bold black and white patterns and are adorned with luxurious manes and feather, is unforgettable.

 “It’s so very appropriate to debut this exhibition at the International Museum of the Horse,” he continued. “The Romani Gypsies and their horses are history that’s alive and breathing and still unfolding before our eyes in a way that few people have been able to truly see.”

 The exhibition at the International Museum of the Horse will feature more than 100 photographs selected from the more than 275 published in Gypsy Horses and the Travelers’ Way, a 184-page book recounting the story of Hockensmith’s travels with the Gypsies which will be released to bookstores in early June. Other images exclusive to the exhibit also will be included. Hockensmith will make special appearances at the museum throughout the exhibition and will welcome Gordon Boswell, a Romani Gypsy historian, poet and musician whom he met on the road to Appleby Fair, as a special museum guest during mid-June. In addition, several Gypsy horses will be exhibited at the Horse Park from June 15-18 and a living wagon adorned with the unique brightly painted artwork of the Gypsy culture will be on display.

 “Mr. Hockensmith … got it absolutely right—on all levels,” Boswell said. “His camera has captured the magical moments of our beloved Gypsy horses and all the fine detail in the complex fabric of Romani life.”

“John Stephen Hockensmith’s incredible images of his remarkable journeys to Appleby Fair with the British Romani provide a rare and insightful look at a mysterious and often persecuted culture and the horses that they treasure,” said Bill Cooke, director of the International Museum of the Horse.

The art galleries at the museum have hosted a number of internationally significant exhibitions, including Imperial China, the first exhibition ever to explore the role of horses through more than 3,000 years of Chinese history and culture, and All the Queen’s Horses, an exclusive collection celebrating the role of horses in British history. The galleries are open from 9 a.m. until noon and 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. daily. Admission to the Kentucky Horse Park includes admission to the museum. 

John S. Hockensmith is the owner of a photographic studio and art gallery in Georgetown, Ky. His exhibit Rare Breeds, which featured artistic images of some of the world’s most unusual horses, was displayed by the International Museum of the Horse in 2004. To view Mr. Hockensmith’s work, including an array of his Gypsy horse images, visit www.finearteditions.net.

 For more information on the Gypsy Horses and the Travelers’ Way exhibition or the accompanying book, call 1-800-972-8385.