Dog Art Today

Fox/Mouse/Belt by Mark Manders

Fox/Mouse/Belt by Mark Manders at a Venetian minimart, 2013

To clarify, I am not actually in Venice for the 55th Biennale.  I'm scouring the Web.  There are always interesting dog artworks there, like Vincent Leow's Andy's Wonder Land in 2007, and Steve McQueen's Giardini in 2009.

So far, the closest I've come to dog artwork is a fox (part of the canine family) in Dutch artist's Mark Manders's Fox/Mouse/Belt.  Like me, the piece is not actually at the Biennale.  It's on the floor of a mini-mart on the Via Garibaldi near the Giardini. (Via Adrian Searle's Biennale review in the Guardian.)

Here is a close up of Fox/Mouse/Belt via MoMA.  It's a fox wearing a belt with a mouse stuck in it.

Fox/Mouse/Belt, The Museum of Modern Art, 1992

And here's a Venetian "interacting" with the piece...

Fox/Mouse/Belt by Mark Manders, Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian, 2013

 

I guess Fox/Mouse/Belt was too literal (and material) for the jury this year.  The Golden Lion (best in show) went to Berlin-based, British artist Tino Sehgal's performance piece of two people moving around on the ground humming and beat boxing.  I'm still trying to find a photo or video of it.  Or even a name for the piece.  How provincial of me...

Art critic Paddy Johnson is in Venice and has much to discuss.

Paul McCarthy's Balloon Dogs at Frieze Art Fair

Workers Install Paul McCarthy's Balloon Dog, photo by Fred R. Conrad, The New York Times

Paul McCarthy's giant Balloon Dog will grace the front lawn at this year's Frieze Art Fair, which opens this weekend in NYC.  The Randall's Island event will feature 180 contemporary art galleries from around the world.  There's a terrific section on their website where you can view all the works here.

Todd Levin, doing a little Frieze recon, reports on Jerry Saltz's Facebook page that smaller, residential friendly versons of McCarthy's Balloon Dog will be available at Hauser & Wirth's booth.

P.S. Remember when Paul McCarthy's Complex Shit blew away in Switzerland?  It recently made headlines again for deflating in Hong Kong at the Mobile M+: Inflation! outdoor art project.  [via The Huffington Post via Rosanne Burke]

P.P.S. I guess Jeff Koons really doesn't own the balloon dog.

100 Geralds: Lazerian's Paper Dog Sculpture Project

027 CheonWang No.4 by Goo For Brothers

Lazerian is Liam Hopkins' design workshop, founded in 2006, based in a former hat factory in Manchester, England.   Gerald is Lazerian's mascot, part of a 2008 rebranding inspired by a Bracco Italiano, a hunting dog known for its devotion to its master, and meant to evoke the qualities of loyalty, heritage, and affection that Lazerian instills in its projects.  The new image inspired Hopkins and 3D designer Richard Sweeney  create "a blueprint for a free standing paper dog that anyone could make at home with a sharp knife, glue and a healthy degree of patience."

In 2009, the pattern was perfected and launched at the 100% Design event in London. The flat pack Geralds completely sold out.  Hopkins and Sweeney then created customized Geralds, Dazzle and Pixel, that were also sensations.   In 2011, Hopkins sent Gerald patterns to 100 of his favorite artists, designers, and illustrators around the world and the Gerald Project was born.

Now, each Gerald is a limited edition of 500 available for purchase for £20 ($30).  There will be an exhibition, Gerald & James (of the British paper company James Cropper that produces the Geralds) and a book launch party at 60 READE in New York City, May 17, 2013 to May 19, 2013. Visit Gerald's website or like him on Facebook for more information.  

Hat tip to Rosanne Burke for letting me know about Gerald via Laughing Squid.

100 Geralds

029 Peggy by Grande Dame

018 Argos by David Bowcutt

034 Sirius by Jack Hughes

006 Woof, Grrr, Yap by Andy Smith

021 Roofus by Design By House

022 Bad dogg dogg from the hood by DR. ME

Knit Your Own Dog Book Giveaway

Border Terrier

Dog artist and creative knitter Sally Muir sent me a note about the recent publication of her new book (with co-author Joanna Osborne), Knit Your Own Dog: The Second Litter, and asked if I'd like to share it.

Absolutely, I told her. The 2010 feature I wrote about Sally and Joanna's first book, Knit Your Own Dog, is one the the most popular posts I've ever run on Dog Art Today. Since you loved it so much, I asked Sally's publisher, Black Dog & Leventhal, if they would sponsor a book giveaway.  They graciously agreed.

To win a copy of Knit Your Own Dog: The Second Litter leave note in the comments section below before midnight PST on Tuesday, Febrary 26, 2013.   The winner will be selected randomly and be announced on Wednesday, February 27, 2013.  This contest is only open to U.S. readers.

Purchase a copy of Knit Your Own Dog: The Second Litter here.

Here are some of my picks of the litter.

Airedale

Staffordshire Terrier

The Greyhound

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Yorkshire Terrier

Wirehaired Dachshund

Photographs by Holly Jolliffe.

Kent Ambler's Dog-Shaped Paintings

 

 

Kent Ambler has over 100 dog-shaped paintings installed at the Art & Light Gallery in Greenville, South Carolina.   Via Design * Sponge.  Hat tip to Patti Haskins for letting me know.