More than a venue: Finding the right exhibition setting for equine art
- Joyce Ter Horst
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
When we think about exhibitions, and particularly an equine art exhibition, we often think about the artwork first. The artists, the paintings, the sculptures, and the ideas behind them. Yet one of the most important curatorial decisions is often overlooked: the choice of exhibition venue.
A venue is never just a venue. Every space brings its own history, atmosphere, and character. The right venue can strengthen what the work is trying to communicate. The wrong venue can work against it.
Some spaces are little more than rooms with walls. Others become part of the exhibition itself.
The Living Horse Museum in Amsterdam belongs firmly to the latter.
What makes the building remarkable is not only its history, but its continuity. It was designed specifically for equestrian purposes, and more than a century later, that original purpose remains at the heart of the building. Every detail reflects this, from the scale of the riding arena and the galleries overlooking the space to the craftsmanship and proportions of the architecture itself.
Unlike many historic buildings that have been adapted for new uses over time, the connection between the museum and its original purpose remains intact. For me, that is what makes it such a fascinating place to curate.
One of the things I enjoy most is watching artists encounter the venue for the first time. Many have travelled from different countries and have only seen photographs beforehand. Then they step into the arena, look up at the galleries, and begin to imagine their work within the space.
The exhibition starts to feel real.
The work is no longer viewed in isolation. It becomes part of a larger conversation between the artwork, the architecture, and the people experiencing it.
This is where a venue can make all the difference.
A strong setting does not compete with the work. It gives the work room to breathe and allows new connections to emerge. As a curator, those moments are some of the most rewarding to witness.
The strongest exhibitions are rarely just collections of individual works. They are experiences shaped by the relationship between artwork, audience, and place.
When those elements come together, the venue becomes more than a location.
It becomes part of the story.
These are some of the questions I find myself returning to as preparations continue for the next edition of the Dutch Equine Art Fair at the Living Horse Museum in Amsterdam.
If this reflection resonates with your own experience of exhibiting or creating art, take a moment to consider what your work needs from the spaces in which it is shown.
Not every venue tells the same story.
Joyce Ter Horst
Equine art curator
