Arlington burial horses subject of exhibit in Washington

The Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art + Design in Washington presents Charlotte Dumas: Anima (through Oct. 28), the United States museum debut of Dutch artist Charlotte Dumas. In Anima, Dumas presents intimate portraits of the caisson—or burial—horses of Arlington National Cemetery, shedding light on the essential workers behind the solemn ceremonies at one of the most-visited attractions in the nation’s capital.

The exhibition, on view exclusively at the Corcoran in Washington, will present commissioned, never-before-shown formal portraiture of the burial horses of Arlington National Cemetery, photographed between 2010 and 2012, in addition to three earlier bodies of work.

Dumas travels the world making evocative, formal photographic portraits of animals inspired by classical portrait painting of the 17th-century Dutch Golden Age. She typically works in series, portraying animals characterized by their utility, social function, or the way they relate to people. A rising international contemporary artist, Dumas recently received widespread acclaim for her photographs of the surviving search and recovery dogs of 9/11. At the Corcoran, Anima will feature a newly commissioned series of portraits centered on the majestic burial horses of Arlington National Cemetery. These Army horses, which belong to the Old Guard—the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment—carry soldiers to their final resting place in traditional military funerals. The exhibition also includes three earlier bodies of work that explore the inner lives of animals: gray wolves living in nature preserves; racehorses tethered in their stables; and stray dogs surviving on the streets of Palermo.

To learn more, visit www.corcoran.org.