News: Touring mosaic painting comes to Capital Ex

Published in the July 30th issue of The Edmonton Sun. News


Touring mosaic painting comes to Capital Ex

LINDA HOANG
Edmonton Sun

Paintings of famous war horses, race horses, horses from television and fiction, and more, are all on display at this year’s Capital EX.

New this year, the 238 individual horse paintings are joined together to form a massive mural horse mosaic that has been touring across North America, and is now hanging on display as part of the Northwest Originals art gallery exhibit at Capital EX.

The touring mosaic painting is made by 174 artists from 13 countries around the world including artists in Romania, Argentina, Germany, Australia and North America.

It took about a year and a half to complete.

“The mural has such a wide range, it’s just an unbelievable collaboration,” said Phil Alain, an Edmonton-based artist and producer of the mural project.

“The overall image is impressive, but it’s when you have a storybook of art from so many people’s points of view… the fact that you can get so much out of one piece, that is the appeal.”

Titled “The Horse Gift,” the mural is meant to symbolize how the horse has been a gift to humankind.

The giant, completely hand-painted mural, stands 22.5 feet high and 18.5 feet wide.

This is the first time it has been on display in Edmonton and likely the last.

“This is probably going to be the only time the mural is in Edmonton so if you don’t see it at Capital EX, you probably won’t see it unless you’re on the road somewhere,” Alain said.

The Horse Gift touring exhibit is on display in the Northwest Originals art gallery in Hall C at the Expo Centre from noon to 11 p.m. daily.

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