The National Sporting Library & Museum is thrilled to present the flagstone exhibition, 2020 Hindsight: 40 Years of the American Academy of Equine Art, open November 12, 2021–March 20, 2022. This highly anticipated exhibition explores the rich history of the American Academy of Equine Art (AAEA), with a dynamic selection of works by members through to the present selected to highlight the varied talents fostered by this influential organization over the years.
Begun in Middleburg, VA, in 1980 and now based in Lexington, KY, the AAEA is a non-profit organization “dedicated to promoting and sharing representational art that celebrates the horse in sport and life. It also offers hands-on instruction from practicing equine artists with a goal of fostering artistic excellence in the genre.”
The AAEA’s founding members were some of the top sporting painters and sculptors of the day: Jean Bowman, June Harrah, Henry Koehler, William Wallace Nall, Marilyn Newmark, Eve Prime, Marie-Louise Radziwill, Richard Stone Reeves, Sam Savitt, and Else Tuckerman. Forty years later, the organization has inspired generations of equine artists in all manner of media, techniques, and artistic influences. 2020 Hindsight will feature works by founders, celebrating their accomplishments and commitment to equine art. A juried selection of works by current signature and juried members of the AAEA will demonstrate the success of the organization and its talented members. Sculptures, paintings, etchings, and drawings feature horses jumping, sorting cattle, playing polo, and in daily barn activities such as shoeing or grooming.
An accompanying exhibition catalogue includes an essay by NSLM Deputy Director & George L. Ohrstrom Curator Claudia Pfeiffer and sporting artist and AAEA President Emeritus Booth Malone. It is available for purchase in the Museum Gift Shop or online.
Also on view in the Library is In Focus: Eve Prime Fout, an exhibition on the eponymous founding member of the AAEA, exploring her life and work and celebrating her contributions to sporting art.
About the National Sporting Library & Museum
The National Sporting Library & Museum is located in Middleburg, VA, the heart of beautiful horse country. Founded in 1954, the renowned research Library and fine art Museum highlight the rich heritage and tradition of country pursuits. Angling, horsemanship, shooting, steeplechasing, foxhunting, flat racing, polo, coaching, and wildlife are among the subjects one can explore in the organization’s general stacks, rare book holdings, archives, and art collection. The NSLM offers a wide variety of educational programs, exhibitions, and family activities throughout the year, and is open to researchers and the public. There is no admission fee to the Library. The Museum charges $10 for adults, $8 for youths (age 13-18), and $8 for seniors. NSLM members and children age 12 and under are admitted free of charge. Library & Museum hours are Thursday–Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Vectors and High-res images are available upon request, including graphics optimized for social media use
Media Contact:
Cynthia Kurtz
Marketing & Communications Manager
540-687-6542 x13
ckurtz@nationalsporting.org