Cholla, the horse that can paint...
Cholla has an innate artistic talent. Some art critics have said that his works have "Pollock's fire". This is what Venice had been waiting for, after having won over the American public from San Francisco to New York.
But the most astonishing thing is that it is a horse! In 2008 one of his water paintings was presented at the Arte Laguna Prize to the skeptic jury who had learned of his animal nature.
The skepticism was quelled after seeing the video that showed the skills of this extraordinary four-legged animal, son of a Mustang and a Quarter horse. His works are on exclusive display at the Giudecca 795 art gallery: 30 free-style water paintings.
Cholla did not attend the exhibit. It wouldn't have been right to bring him all the way to the lagoon from Nevada where he lived. But you are satill able to watch his videos and meet his owner. The Giudecca 795 art gallery, just a few steps away from the Hotel Hilton (former Molino Stucky) and Harry's Dolci by Cipriani, is open to the public.
Giudecca 795 Fondamenta S.Biagio 795, Giudecca (or just Giudecca 795) 30133 - Venice
Hours: daily 3 pm - 7 pm, closed Mondays
Tel +39 041 7241182 / +39 340 8798327
In this project, Venice is the first step in a series of selected national and international locations which will host Cholla's art.
The story in short, in the words of the gallery managers: "In 2008 our gallery partnered with the painting award Arte Laguna - granting a special price to one or two artists among 30 finalists. We were called to make our choice in September 2008. Among the pictures which we were showed, there was a mysterious Cholla Chambers (Usa) whom we discovered to be a Horse (AT FIRST WE HAD THOUGHT THAT "CAVALLO" (the Italian for "horse") WAS HIS LAST NAME!!), an American Mustang and Quarter Horse mix.
One of his watercolors had been sent to the painting competition by his owner: and the work was accepted, as by regulation the competition is open to "everyone". The horse received a Mention d'honneur by the president of the Jury. And.. they did not look bad at all! Even now, watching the pieces without knowing anythig about the author, no one can guess the truth.
Fascinated by such really instinctive signs, which are not consequence of training or imitation, we started reflecting upon trends and objectives in contemporary arts.
After the first contacts with Renee Chambers, Cholla's owner, we starting working at a solo exhibit in Venice, and the press -- from Associted Press to CNN and BBC -- began getting interested in the Venetian adventure. We made sure that the horse is not obliged to paint, and is well kept: the videos and the photos speak by themselves. Renee Chambers showed a very genuine attitude to her horse's talent, and here we are. Cholla is a pleasure for the eyes.
So we enthusiastically launched the Venice project "Cholla Chambers the painting horse", as the first solo exhibit outside the US with about 30 watercolors; the exhibit at Giudecca 795 is free entrance.
A video to be screened during the show; a catalogue (the first one of Cholla's art) is available.
Vernissage with the presence of the horse's owner.
The exhibit will then move in other cities in Italy and abroad."
Giudecca 795 Art Gallery
Info and images:
http://www.giudecca795.com/en/artists/Cholla-Chambers-cavallo-per-caso---happening-to-be-a-horse/
(incomplete) National and international press coverage:
http://www.chollathepaintinghorse.com/cholla_mediacoverage.html