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Coachella 2022: This horse sculpture is for the die-hard Coachella crowd

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This piece of art is for the hardcore festival fans: The ones who don’t go home at the end of the day; the ones who camp out and continue the party long after the Ubers and Lyfts have driven everyone else home.

This sculpture is for the die-hard fans of the fest and it’s an icon of the American West.

It’s massive horse sculpture named “Mustang,” and it’s displayed in full gallop on the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival campground this year, representing the free spirit of festival-goers.

“Horses and humans have this primordial connection. We’ve evolved together over time and the event takes place on Polo fields so there are just a number of different connections,” said Santa Fe, New Mexico-based sculptor Don Kennell, one of the returning large-scale artists who displaying work at the festival.

“And people just love horses and we’re very interested as artists to try to make a connection with the audience. We want people to fall in love with it, for people to feel that connection,” he said.

Since 2013, Kennell and his DKA Design company have brought a handful of monumental animals to the festival’s campground site, starting with a giant dog with a porch swing hanging from its belly to other animals like a road runner, a bear, mountain sheep and this year, the “Mustang.”

“We feel like the quintessential Coachella experience happens in camping. And we’ve really taken that on as a point of pride that our work is for the campers, the hardcore attendees,” Kennell said.

Made out of 22,000 pounds of steel, the 27-foot-tall and 44-foot-long horse stands on a hill majestically looking over the campground.

Several campers were resting under its belly taking advantage of the shade provided by the giant horse.

It was shipped to Coachella disassembled in two flatbed 18-wheeler trucks, Kennell noted.

“I’m very much inspired by nature and the relationship humans have with animals,” Kennell said.

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Kennell creates his sculptures using as much recycled metal as possible and begins by forming a structural steel armature and then he “skins” with more plasma-cut steel.

One standout feature of the horse are the glass blown eyes, which is something Kennell uses in all his pieces.

“The eyes are that point of contact for the sculpture so we like eyes to appear to be alive,” he said.

 

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