Mythical Horses Laurel Burch

The composition presents a series of equine heads arranged in profile against a stark black background. The artist has employed a highly stylized and simplified aesthetic, reducing the horses to essential geometric forms delineated by bold lines and saturated colors. Each head is rendered with a distinct color palette: blue, yellow, red-orange, and purple dominate, creating a vibrant and somewhat jarring visual experience. A thin band of orange runs along the lower edge, providing a subtle contrast to the black backdrop.
The artist’s use of parallel lines within each horses mane and forehead suggests movement and energy, while also contributing to a sense of flatness characteristic of graphic design or pop art. The eyes are rendered with minimal detail – simple circles – yet possess an unsettling intensity due to their placement and the surrounding color fields. They seem to stare directly outward, engaging the viewer in a direct and somewhat confrontational manner.
The arrangement of the heads is not entirely clear; they appear to overlap and interlock, creating a sense of layered depth despite the overall two-dimensionality. This overlapping suggests interconnectedness or perhaps a collective identity. The lack of background detail focuses attention solely on these equine figures, elevating them to symbolic status.
Subtextually, the work seems to explore themes of power, vitality, and perhaps even mythology – the title hints at this. The use of bright, unnatural colors moves beyond realistic representation, suggesting an exploration of inner states or archetypal symbols rather than a depiction of actual horses. The stylized forms could be interpreted as representations of different aspects of personality or emotional states, each color signifying a distinct temperament or characteristic. The overall effect is one of controlled energy and symbolic weight, inviting contemplation on the nature of identity and collective forces.