Vanessa von Zitzewitz's major exhibition in Paris
Canon Ambassador Vanessa von Zitzewitz’s superb photographs of the horses of the Emir of Qatar will feature in a major exhibition to be held at The Petit Palais in central Paris from 4 to 11 October this year.
The exhibition and upcoming book – titled ‘The Horses of Qatar - The Legend of Al Shaqab’ – are the result of a two-year project during which keen horsewoman Vanessa von Zitzewitz worked closely with the ruling family of Qatar. She was given full access into the intimate world of the family's horse farm and was allowed the freedom to photograph the famous Arab horses.
Vanessa Von Zitzewitz with one of the famous Arab horses.
Over the two year period Vanessa von Zitzewitz shot over 27,000 pictures for the book project, mainly on the EOS 5D DSLR, and revealed: “I wanted to show the ‘backstage’ of the horses – the grooming and the feeding. So many people are dedicated to looking after these horses.”
The book ‘The Horses of Qatar – The Legend of Al Shaqab’ will be published by Te Neues in October and is designed to celebrate the beauty and nobility of Arab horses, which are an essential part of Qatar’s cultural identity. Horse breeding, or ‘furusiyya’, is a multi-secular tradition in the Arab world where the relationship between men and horses has always been a close one.
Al Shaqab is a world-class equestrian venue in Qatar that takes its name from a significant battle against the Ottomans. It was at Al Shaqab that the Qataris defeated the Turks and parted from the Ottoman Empire. His Highness Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani has called his horse-breeding farm ‘Al Shaqab’ in commemoration of this major event in Qatar’s contemporary history.
His Highness the Emir of Qatar has had a lifelong admiration for Arabian horses, which are regarded as a symbol of nobility and beauty, that’s reflected in his encouragement of excellence in all equestrian activities. Since 2004 the Al Shaqab equestrian centre has been part of the Qatar Foundation, which promotes the country through education, scientific research and community development.
Vanessa von Zitzewitz’s upcoming exhibition also marks the 10th anniversary of the partnership between His Highness, the Emir of Qatar and the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe as the chief partner of the world famous horse race.
