Dreamchasers: The art of living on the backside

New Exhibit Opens to kick off Derby season 2008!

Dream Chasers- The Art of Living on the Backside

(April 14, 2009- December 31, 2009)

For the first time, the Kentucky Derby Museum will dig into the mysteries of life on the backside of Churchill Downs with a new exhibit. A community of more than a thousand seasonal employees live and work on the “other side” of the track. Their jobs are rigorous, often physically demanding and require constant vigilance over the 1400 valuable Thoroughbreds training on the grounds

Ranging from naïve art to a professional sophistication, workers in roles from grooms to security guards have contributed to this exhibition. Complex sculpture crafted from found objects morphed by tools of their working world to elegant pen and ink drawings, the art runs a course as diverse as the artists themselves.

The artists living on the backside of Churchill Downs are moved to create their art for reasons as diverse as the population. But all are chasing a dream, racing to discover the ticket to American happiness. The work displayed in this exhibit will come from the grooms, security guards, exercise riders, assistant trainers and others on the backside who have earned a place in this unique equine racing culture where they work seven days a week. From pencil drawings and etchings to primitive oils and sculpture, the artwork serves as emotional expression.

This exhibit will highlight several life stories of backside workers profiling daily life on the track complete with sights and sounds. It will examine their environment for work, worship, learning and play.

 Exhibit is included in regular museum admission.