Photograph Provided By: The G2 Gallery

Nature LA: Jennifer MaHarry is a tribute to America’s last wild and free roaming horses.  Jennifer’s initial interest in the plight of the wild horse began a few years back, with a visit to the WIN (Wild horses in Need) Ranch, a wild horse sanctuary in Ojai, California.  There, Jennifer caught a glimpse of the majesty of these iconic American creatures.  Intent on discovering where they came from and why they needed sanctuary, Jennifer soon embarked on what would become her biggest and most intense photographic project to date.

After going extinct on the continent millions of years earlier, the wild horse re-emerged in the Americas in the age of the Spanish Conquistadors of the 17th Century.  Subsequent populations came from the herds belonging to settlers, ranchers, Native American tribes, and even the U.S. Cavalry.  The wild horse of the early 20th century was a fixture of the American landscape, with an estimated population of about two million mustangs.  The environmental movement brought about many reforms, including “The Wild Free Roaming Horse & Burro” Act which recognized mustangs as “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West” and instituted unprecedented protections for the horses.

Today, approximately 30,000 mustangs remain in the wild.  Their welfare is in the hands of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM,) a government organization striving to strike a balance with the often contrasting claims to the land for use by recreation seekers, ranchers, mining interests, and the horses.  At designated times during the year, the BLM performs gathers, roundups which use a helicopter to corral the horses and often results in the permanent detention of horses in holding facilities where they are no longer allowed the free rein they once enjoyed.  The images seen here were taken in the Herd Management Areas where horses are still allowed to roam free.  Jennifer initiated this project to illuminate the issues faced by a voiceless constituency up against very powerful lobbies in the ranching and mining industries. It is her hope that America’s remaining wild horses will be allowed to roam free as a part of our living heritage.

Exhibit Information: From now until June 24th, The G2 Gallery located inVenice,CA will be exhibiting the stunningly raw photography of Jennifer MaHarry. Visit The G2 Gallery for more information and for hours of operation.