Essence: The Horses of Deborah Butterfield

Clearly, one of the real joys of art is when we’re confronted with the familiar, but it elevates us to the divine with a spark created on the surface of what is, igniting the imagination. The completion of the thought is different for all of us.

One cannot help but feel this spark from the highly approachable new exhibit at Frederik Meijer Gardens, Essence: The Horses of Deborah Butterfield. This collection features 12 impressive works, never trite, from her multi-generational career, ranging from the 70s to the present. 

Even though the exhibition presents a diverse collection of equine wonders made from a variety of materials, the gallery evokes a calming feeling that few outside of Butterfield’s studio must have felt. One can walk casually through a beige skied and wooden pasture with a field of horses everywhere the eye lands. It is a rare treat, however, to see this many mammoth works at one time, especially considering most collectors or museums typically only buy one piece that is often displayed in an odd isolation.

And lest one think this is a just an opportunity to see a bunch of realistic Remington-like casts of horses, VP and Chief Curator Joe Becherer reminds me as we walk through the gallery that “the beauty of Butterfield’s work is how she presents a work that mimics life.” He points to the curveature of the horse’s neck, saying, “It is wonderful to see a simple line can indicate a shape that has not been provided by the artist, but one that the viewer easily engages to fill in the negative space with form.”

Attendees of Essence will have a chance to view in the Hoffman Family Auditorium the film, “Deborah Butterfield: Dialogue with the Artist” (approx. 15 minutes).

This is the first time that the Gardens have presented a solo show of her work and the first time many of these works have been assembled in this fashion. Additionally, the Gardens were even surprised the discover upon unpacking this show that Butterfield had included her newest work, “Untitled, 2011,” a dauntingly stunning piece that is sure to delight everyone from seasoned art aficionado to first time gallerist.  

Many significant institutions including the Whitney Museum of American Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art and Walker Art Center Sculpture Garden have commissioned Butterfield’s artworks. 

This is an exhibition not to miss, since this rare collection presents Butterfield’s finest works curated for the Gardens and your enjoyment.


Admission: $9 -12.