The horse casts an atavistic spell over humans and has permeated art since time immemorial. Perhaps it’s because the animal’s unique beauty stirs a deeply rooted desire to possess one of our most treasured belongings. And art, as French art historian, René Huyghe, argues in his 20th-century essay Art and the Spirit of Man, is all about possession.

The horse is widely regarded as one of the most elegant animals, largely due to its height and the symmetry created by its four legs. Many artists have succumbed to the desire to capture the closed, almost geometric shape of its body on canvas, interrupted only by its neckline and head at the front and its tail to the rear.

Historically, the horse has been one of the most characteristic elements in the representation of kings and nobility. It played a fundamental role in the wars of past ages and in hunting, the other main activity of monarchs and lords.

In Horses and Muses, the Spanish artist Okuda San Miguel gives his own take on this iconic animal, interpreted in his unique style, characterised by the use of geometry and profusion of colour. The concept is complemented by another idea that features prominently in Okuda’s recent work: the elevation of his imaginary characters to the status of muses—both male and female—that accompany him in the majority of his works. (Hashtag press-release)