Through this series of portraits, Rip Hopkins reveals how the inhabitants of Maisons-Laffitte, a French city historically linked to horses, perceive and take on the imagery of the horse in their fantasy.

At the North West of Paris, close to the forest of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, stands a city that has been haunted by the presence of horse since the end of the 18th century. Its racetrack has the longest straight line of Europe. Men and horses live together. Tracks are available to ride around. The mounted horse always has the priority. An anachronistic castle reminds us of the times before industrialization, when horse was the closest ally of man. Its legendary monumental stables have now disappeared. Hence the castle of Maisons gives each year an assignment to a photographer to represent the horse within its walls.
A paper presence to replace the living, in a way.