Sophy Brown

Much of my work is centered around horses. I was lucky enough to have for 20 years an ex-racehorse. He was hardwired to run and was prone to anxiety and agitation. Early on, when stressed, he’d sweat, his muscles would bunch and tremble, head high, eyes wide and every fiber of him would be ready to move. I’d feel it in a tight and complicated knot of empathy that recognized his inner state. Watching horses, their responses to each other and their environment, their nuanced relationships, I believe all emotional life can be seen there. They are instinctive, physical and show without filter their inner state, something that in people is often hidden and complicated. Standing securely in their place in nature, they speak to us on a visceral level reminding us of our own animal skin.
Education
MFA University of Michigan, MI, USA
BFA Goldsmiths College, London, UK