JD Malat Gallery Dubai presents ‘Horsepower,’ a solo exhibition by Brooklyn-based artist Tim Kent, from November 5 to 30. This collection explores the horse’s historical and cultural importance, a powerful symbol influencing art, society, and innovation for millennia.
Horses have been pivotal from early cave paintings to the grand societies of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Rome, central to agriculture, commerce, and warfare. They feature throughout art history, from Leonardo da Vinci to Edgar Degas, representing both physical power and symbolic significance. This legacy persists today with ‘horsepower,’ a term coined by James Watt, linking equine strength to mechanical advancement.
Kent remarks, “The title ‘Horsepower’ humorously addresses the horse’s role in art and literature while acknowledging its measure of work value. From ancient caves to modern engines, the horse remains a constant symbol of power and creativity.”
Kent’s large-scale painted interiors, landscapes, and imagined worlds transform historical references into modern compositions that blend reality with imagination. His work fuses Renaissance perspective with contemporary imagery, combining architectural precision with expressive abstraction.
Pieces like Titan, 300 HP, Pegasus, and Trojan trace human ambition from classical to industrial, mythological to mechanical eras. Some titles, also names of rocket systems, highlight a duality in Kent’s vision: horsepower as a measure of physical, technological, and political might. The exhibition explores value and transformation systems, merging past and present, inviting viewers to reflect on evolving symbols from horse to engine to rocket.
Kent notes, “I hope viewers connect with the theme, seeing the work as a playful starting point for discussions on historical art and progress measurement.”
Jean-David Malat, Founder of JD Malat Gallery, states: “Tim Kent bridges centuries of artistic exploration. In ‘Horsepower,’ he revisits the horse, one of art’s oldest subjects, to examine progress, ambition, and the human condition. The exhibition resonates in the Middle East, where the horse symbolizes beauty, endurance, and cultural pride. Kent’s ability to bring this spirit into contemporary dialogue makes this exhibition particularly significant for Dubai.”
‘Horsepower’ by Tim Kent runs from November 5 to 30, 2025, at JD Malat Gallery, Downtown Dubai.
