Hrvoje Dumančić: sculpting the soul of horses
Exploring the connection between horses and art through Dumančić’s eyes
Hrvoje Dumančić, born in Zagreb in 1975, is a Croatian sculptor who carries a deep passion for horses in his heart and expresses their most intimate beauty through the creation of unique works of art.
Characterized by the predominant use of natural materials, his depictions capture the essence of these animals in their most extraordinarily simple and natural state. Each sculpture, an expression of harmony, rhythm, elegance, and balance, tells a story and evokes emotion.
His artistic talent, combined with a profound love for these animals, has led him to be recognized as one of the greatest artists and interpreters of the equestrian world today. The team at HorseShowJumping.tv wanted to get to know him better, to understand the history and artistic philosophy of his world, Horseland, a grand and admirable project entirely dedicated to horses.
The artistic journey and unbreakable bond with the equestrian world
From a young age, around seven, he began to show interest in art. Simultaneously, his love for horseback riding grew, and the horse became a central companion in his life, both artistically and sportingly.
He started not only as a sculptor but also as a rider. At 14, he began a competitive journey in show jumping, which led him to become the runner-up of the Junior Equestrian League of Croatia in 1992.
Initially, his dream was to become a veterinarian or a professional rider, but life led him to realize himself as a great equestrian artist capable of giving a unique interpretation to this animal: “As a child, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian or a professional rider, but sometimes life takes you in a different direction, which you find isn’t so bad. Now, I am an equestrian artist who wants to celebrate the significant impact horses have in our lives. I hope to contribute, in my small way, to promoting and celebrating this animal in art.”
His artistic journey was refined with a degree from The School of Applied Art & Design, continuing his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts of Zagreb, specializing in Sculpture.
Last year, he completed his Ph.D., finishing the project “Horse sculpture as a visual representation of a childhood memory”: an introspective journey symbolized by the rocking horse, a figure representing childhood and the confrontation with emotions and memories of his past.
“I chose the rocking horse as an anthropological symbol of childhood to open a dialogue with my emotions and the collective memory of the observer. These are memories from when I was a child, built together with the horses I grew up with, and related to the life circumstances that shaped me as I grew. I believe it is essential to cultivate memories and experiences because they transform us into the people we are today. Childhood is the first but significant period we carry with us in life as a special memory.”
Among the numerous awards and recognitions, he shares with us the excitement of his debut at the Salon ArtCheval in Saumur in 2002, where he won first prize for the sculpture Aramis, in honor of a particularly significant horse in his life, a great source of inspiration for many of his works.
“Memory,” the large rocking horse, positioned at eye level without a rider. The sculpture invites viewers to mount and ignite the childlike imagination within each of us: “If I could choose a future for this bronze sculpture, I would want it to travel freely around the world, bringing joy to all children, transforming them into kings or queens, even if just for a moment.”
The unique relationship with the horse as a life teacher and sources of inspiration
“I never really dwelled on why horses are my source of inspiration,” he tells us. “Over time, I realized I feel a special bond with horses; as a boy, I spent more time with horses in the stables than with my peers. These animals became my true life teachers.”
Their teachings and the emotions that have formed his memories, which still characterize his present, are reflected in his creations.
“When I rode, I felt like I became one with the horse: its legs became mine, its strength and sensitivity became mine; when I dismounted, I was a child again.”
What guides his inspiration is not merely the figure of the horse and its beauty but the emotions and sensations transmitted to him, which find form and life through his works.
For him, creating art means entering another world, “where time stands still and every moment becomes significant,” he continues, “when I work on a sculpture, I feel completely immersed in the creative process, trying to imprint the deepest emotions through the material I shape.”
Inspiration comes from various sources, closely tied to the horse, but intrinsically guided by the past, with childhood memories, and the present of current experiences, as he describes: “Moments from the past bring with them nostalgia and emotions that I convey through my work. The present of daily life, the people around me, nature, and current emotions play a fundamental role.”
Throughout his life, every horse he has encountered and ridden has contributed to memories and emotions that still live on through his sculptures. Today, however, outside his studio, he dedicates time and love to his two mares: Etoile, with whom he competed for ten years until her retirement due to an injury, and her daughter Bisou, a six-year-old filly with whom he has returned to competing.
Equally important to him are sources of inspiration as a rider, mainly finding examples in professionals who particularly care for the ethological aspect, the psychology, and respect the nature of the horse, citing Pierre Durand and John Whitaker, as well as Peder Fredricson and Henrik von Eckermann.
Horseland, forms, and sensations created by nature
This admirable project stems from the desire to create artworks closely connected to nature and horses, but accessible to a broader audience. Favoring the use of natural materials such as clay, terracotta, bronze, and wood, the creation process of each sculpture involves profound respect for the environment and for horses as representatives of nature’s strength.
To counter the standards linked to post-industrial artistic production, high technology, and its fast pace, the artist proposes only natural materials, following the forgotten traditions of timeless classical masters. Each piece is handmade in his Zagreb studio. The artist infuses each sculpture not only with his emotions but also with the energy of the place where he lives and works.
Each piece pays homage to the horse as an iconic creature that historically connects humans to nature, treated by Dumančić in an extremely personal, intimate way. He does not concern this animal as a symbol of power, pride, and strength but aims to reveal what can be defined as the “infinite soul” of a horse, sensitive and fragile like that of humans. This is the philosophical and personal basis that lives in every single element of Horseland.
When asked by other artists, admirers, friends, and observers, “But why only horses?” he responds that it is not a rational choice but a free journey he has undertaken spontaneously, as if, in fact, he did not have to choose: “Like life itself, that of horses is a life that you naturally follow and that, in turn, follows you.”
More information and curiosities about this fabulous world created by the artist can be found on the official websites horseland.online and dumancic.hr.
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