Held Mid-Air
In dialogue with Sarah Miska
FVTVRIST Magazine // Massimo de Carlo Gallery
17 February 2026
You often speak about control as something central both to equestrianism and to your painting practice. But in the equestrian world, control is never absolute, you also have to trust the horse as your partner, to listen and to respond. Where do you find the balance between control and intuition in your work? And how does this idea of partnership (of trusting something outside yourself) translate into the way you paint?
You’re absolutely right, control is impossible, so much of my work is about leaning into this perfectionism that doesn’t exist. It’s an attempt to control the uncontrollable. Thus the stray hairs and wrinkled clothing, etc. Everyday in the studio feels like I’m experimenting and I just have to trust my intuition. I’m frequently fumbling around and messing up pieces, I have decades of experience painting and a clear process for my work, but my favorite moments are when things don’t go to plan.
Installation View © Massimodecarlo Pièce Unique
We met with Sarah Miska (b. 1983, Sacramento, CA) ahead of her first exhibition in Paris, Bring forth the horse!, presented by MASSIMODECARLO Pièce Unique to mark the beginning of the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Horse. In this conversation, she speaks about the body of work developed for the show, the rhythm behind the paintings, and what it means to enter a new context at this stage of her practice.
You dedicate this exhibition to the Year of the Horse, a cycle associated with freedom, speed and change. Beyond symbolism, what does beginning a new year actually mean to you in practice?
I like keeping things fresh. I can get bored if I keep up the same thing for too long so I’m big into updating my goals every six months. I love a plan but I also love spontaneity. In the art world, things frequently fall through or new surprising opportunities come along. As much as I hate when things fall through, the change is stimulating.
This Year of the Horse is ruled by fire, an element linked to impulse, tension, and forward force. How do you relate to this idea of fire in your own temperament?
I have ADHD so most of my days are ruled by impulse, tension and forward force. Us ADHD’ers love a dopamine hit.
In Gallop, the horse is suspended mid-movement, at the precise moment between ascent and descent. Why was this exact instant important to you? What does this suspended moment allow you to say that a full image of the horse could not?
Gallop is a huge nod to Muybridge. He was originally commissioned to photograph, The Horse in Motion, to prove that all four legs are suspended in midair under the horse. Gallop is portraying that exact moment.
I also worship Richard Artschwager’s work and his commentary on space and time through the use of floating objects. From his horse hair blips to his depictions of falling people. It’s all about this moment in time and questioning the edge of an object. Gallop operates a bit differently but these are the things I’m constantly referencing while making work.
© Image by Shiloh Cinquemani
MY FAVORITE MOMENTS ARE WHEN THINGS DON’T GO TO PLAN.
You often speak about control as something central both to equestrianism and to your painting practice. But in the equestrian world, control is never absolute, you also have to trust the horse as your partner, to listen and to respond. Where do you find the balance between control and intuition in your work? And how does this idea of partnership (of trusting something outside yourself) translate into the way you paint?
You’re absolutely right, control is impossible, so much of my work is about leaning into this perfectionism that doesn’t exist. It’s an attempt to control the uncontrollable. Thus the stray hairs and wrinkled clothing, etc. Everyday in the studio feels like I’m experimenting and I just have to trust my intuition. I’m frequently fumbling around and messing up pieces, I have decades of experience painting and a clear process for my work, but my favorite moments are when things don’t go to plan.
Installation View © Massimodecarlo Pièce Unique
Horses have always fascinated people, not only as animals, but as images charged with power, beauty, and symbolism. The same can be said about equestrian fashion, which has become almost iconic in its own right. What draws you most in this world: the rider, the horse, the visual codes of the subject, or the energy that emerges between them? And why do you think that particular element continues to hold your attention?
It’s absolutely the visual codes, I mean, this is a world I’m not directly involved in, so it’s strange that I’m fixated on everything that comes along with the horse. But I find them to be a really delicious metaphor for larger issues at play like class and how we navigate spaces animals and people. Clothing and all the accoutrements that come along with english or western riding are a code and signifier. I’m just choosing one visual trope and exploring each facet.
This exhibition takes place within the PIÈCE UNIQUE format, where each work carries a strong sense of singularity. How does this context change the way you think about the life of each painting?
PIÈCE UNIQUE is such a special space, I’ve been wanting to hang my work there since they opened the space, so I’m grateful for this opportunity. I love a sparsely hung and focused exhibit and I especially adore that anyone from the public can stumble upon the show.
As you move forward into 2026, what kind of freedom are you seeking next: in your subjects, in your process, or in your relationship to painting itself?
I’m diving deep into a western theme for my next show. I spent 5 weeks at a ranch to gather images and talk with those working there. So much of that stay was about observation and learning, I’d like to keep that open mind moving into 2026
About Sarah Miska
Sarah Miska (b. Sacramento, CA) received her BFA from Laguna College of Art and Design in 2007 and her MFA from Art Center College of Design in 2014. She has had solo exhibitions at Lyles & King, New York; Micki Meng, San Francisco; Night Gallery, Los Angeles; and Hernando’s Hideaway, Miami. Miska’s work has been featured in group shows at Matt Carey-Williams, London; Masey Klein, New York; Praz-Delavallade, Los Angeles; Spazio Amanita, Los Angeles; Below Grand, New York; Dread Lounge, Los Angeles; Super Dutchess, New York; and Wilding Cran Gallery, Los Angeles, among others. She is a 2022 subject of “In the Studio,” W Magazine’s culture series, Frieze Magazine, Contemporary Art Review Los Angeles Artillery Magazine, among others. Her work belongs in the permanent collections of the Institute for Contemporary Art, Miami and Long Museum, Shanghai. Miska lives and works in Los Angeles.
