large edition | edition 07 + AP
edition small | edition 09
Gruno
CULTURAL LIVING HERITAGE
‘the last of their kind’
A series about endangered pet breeds
Gruno, the Groningen horse
Here stands Gruno, powerful and vulnerable at the same time. Gruno is a model for the Groningen horse – formerly also called Bovenlander. A beautiful, reliable and level-headed horse. But above all, versatile.
The Groningen horse is strong enough to plow or harrow, willing enough to drive a carriage to pull, tame enough to ride, and endowed with enough temperament to gallop. A beautiful horse. Though his looks weren’t the most important; if only the Groningen could work hard. And preferably also ‘frugal’ in the food. The Groninger is less noble and temperamental than the Frisian, smaller than the Oldenburger and more robust than the Gelderlander. The description ‘coldest warmblood in the Netherlands’ is not far off.
With the advent of the tractor, Gruno’s ancestors became obsolete. The Groningen horse disappeared, almost off the face of the earth. In 1978 there was exactly one stallion left: baldewijn. He was saved from slaughter in the nick of time.
“There are still very few Groningen horses, especially stallions. But with Gruno I was lucky, what a beautiful specimen. I wanted to put Gruno in a landscape like that there, in the middle last century, has been able to see in North Groningen, the native region of the Groninger horse. A farm landscape with a typical Groningen head-neck-trunk three-roof farm. And with flax: a forgotten crop that was widely grown on the fertile clay soil. flax flowers are one-day flowers. In the morning, when the sun is well and truly in the sky, they open up, to let go of their leaves again by noon.”
Status: endangered
Number of mares: 449
Number of stallions: 9
Trend in the last 15 years: decreasing
Thanks to:
The Groninger Horse Foundation, Hinke Fiona Cnossen, Hilde Huizenga, Ingeborg Nienhuis (owner Gruno), The Bos family (Lutjebosch) and the Flax Museum It Braakhok.
Short about the series
CULTURAL LIVING HERITAGE
‘the last of their kind’
A series on rare pet breeds; the first domesticated (agricultural) pets in danger of extinction. The process of disappearing varieties and crops has accelerated greatly in the last 70 years. I want to stimulate that awareness and the discussion about animal welfare in a positive way through this project. The series should give a nice insight into the different races and their identities. An ode to the dying breed with recognition for the cultural landscape of the provinces where the breed originated or was common. By showing how it used to be or looked like, or should look like, connecting with now.
Tags: art, cultural, cultural living heritage, dutch landscape, fine art photography, Groningen, horse, the last of their kind