Mary McCartney: The White Horse

Berggruen Gallery is pleased to present The White Horse, an exhibition by photographer Mary McCartney featuring selections from her largest body of work to date. The exhibition will be on view October 18 through November 21, 2018. The gallery will host an opening reception for the artist on Thursday, October 18, from 5:00 to 8:00pm.

The White Horse pays tribute to the extraordinary beauty of one particular white stallion, McCartney's Alejandro, depicting him in the landscape of Sussex, where McCartney grew up. Using a medium-format camera for formal portraits as well as 35mm, she profiles equestrian life both on and off the saddle during the course of a year.

McCartney's intimate pictures convey the special relationship between horse and rider and underline the profound connection that binds people to these majestic animals. The viewer is taken through an ever-changing vista of lush green meadows, dappled forest trails, and nighttime forests, often using the unique perspective of a mounted rider to afford us the most compelling views.

The White Horse is for equestrians and art lovers alike. McCartney's beautiful and bold images are sure to evoke the magic of horses' companionship. The exhibition is presented in conjunction with the publication of The White Horse, Rizzoli New York, 2018. Copies of McCartney's book will be available for purchase at the gallery, and there will be a book signing with the artist during the opening on Thursday, October 18.

In his poignant introduction to the publication, McCartney's husband, film director and writer Simon Aboud shares that Alejandro, in many ways, represents McCartney in these photographs. Free from a prying eye, the works convey a sense of freedom and potential, depict moments of joyous solitude and moments shared with her family. "Alejandro becomes our guide to a journey of a young girl to a confident woman, of a landscape full of memories to a dreamscape full of the imagination and the promise of things to come," says Aboud.

Mary McCartney (b. 1969, London) is an acclaimed British photographer whose work focuses on intimate portraiture and candid reportage. Her work has been shown in numerous exhibitions, including British Style Observed (National History Museum, London, 2008); From Where I Stand (National Portrait Gallery, London, 2010); and Mother Daughter(Gagosian, New York, 2015), a collection of photographs exploring her relationship with her mother, Linda McCartney.