WHY HORSES?

Join photographer Astrid Harrisson as she gives us a glimpse into what inspires her and attempts to answer a question that we hear frequently.

Whether you realise it or not you are familiar with the wonderful work by Astrid Harrisson. For years her innate ability to capture a world of feelings within her equine-centred photography has been a staple of the IFEEL Qualifications, perfectly encapsulating the essence of each workshop and course on offer. We recently had a chance to catch up with Astrid in person and the question was asked of her ‘Why horses?‘

‘A question I have been asked time and time again – and I still don’t have a one-line answer. The below excerpt from Linda Kohanov’s Tao of Equus is a powerful expression of the way I feel:

Horses relate to the world from a feminine or “yin” perspective. As a result, the species is a living example of the effectiveness of feminine values, including cooperation over competition, responsiveness over strategy, emotion and intuition over logic, process over goal, and the creative approach to life that these qualities engender.‘

Astrid is enamoured by man’s relationship with horse, with an animal so loyal and trusting, yet an animal that in some cultures has been seemingly swept aside with the advent of machinery. Like books to the digital world, horses can never be replaced by modern machinery. Horses are soulful creatures, spirits of the wild that in history intertwine with man and his life whether in sport, farming or as part of other cultures. It is Astrid’s objective to celebrate this species by bringing to the forefront their relevance and beauty. They are deserved of being celebrated for their athleticism, their form, their courage, and their strength.

Astrid tells of the importance of staying true to her childhood-self. Growing up she was infatuated with all things “cowboy” – thundering hooves, wild mustangs and freedom. Her mother fuelled her inspiration as she had spent her teens roving Wyoming’s infamous Tetons on horseback; frivolous days with wind in hair and sun on cheek. Her mother’s influence lies at the root of Astrid’s voracious thirst for studying the horse and the cultures around the world within which it subsists.

Astrid explores both physical form and the inner spirit of horses through photography. Her work begins with quiet observation and her intent reveres this symbolic species which unites cultures from across the globe in an unspoken language, connecting us all on unspoken realms in unknown dimensions.

In a bid to investigate and revere man’s relationship with horses all over the world, it is her hope to present an evocative combination of digital artistry and powerful imagery through her studies.