Dog Art Today

Micheal Dickinson Faces Jail for His Dog Art

Good Boy by Micheal Dickinson

I first reported on British ex-pat in Istanbul, Michael Dickinson, in September of 2008.  At that time he had just been acquitted for violating Article 301 of the Turkish constitution, which makes it a crime to insult the "Turkish identity" or state institutions, including the armed forces, through his collages of the Turkish Prime Minister as a dog (above).  I had no idea that the Turkish legal system then quashed that ruling and brought Dickinson to trial again.  Now, he has been convicted of this charge and is refusing to pay the fine in protest of the attack on his freedom of speech.  The judge has given him one month to reconsider his decision or face up to two years in a Turkish prison.  Unbelievable.  Read more at BBC News and Dickinson's website.

Art matters.

Acrylic Dachshund Bookends

It may be obscene to feature $265 acrylic Dachshund bookends when we're getting mauled by the Great Recession, but I love how endlessly inspiring the Doxie silhouette is.  Handmade in Italy where designers don't know the meaning of the words "economic downturn."  Available at Barneys New York via Design*Sponge.

Wolf to Woof at The Museum of Idaho

Wolf to Woof: The Story of Dogs opens tomorrow at  The Museum of Idaho.  It is the "largest and most comprehensive traveling exhibition ever created to explore the history, biology and evolution of dogs and their role in human society."  And it includes what sound like some great interactive features...

"...multi-media displays, artifacts, photo murals, and dioramas of taxidermied wild canines and sculpted modern dog breeds...[Also] hands-on components demonstrate key exhibit concepts. For example, visitors can enter a "howling area" and guess what dogs are saying, test their nose against a dog's great sense of smell, and climb into an avalanche scene to see what it's like to be saved by a search-and-rescue dog."

I would like to try all of those.  Exhibition runs until September 11, 2010.  Visit The Museum of Idaho for more information.

Casting Call: Los Angeles Dogs + Their Owners

LA photographer Grace Chon, whose hilariously brilliant Les Chiens Erotique (Erotic Dogs) was recently featured on an episode of "How I Met Your Mother," is looking for a few good dogs and their owners, and possibly some cats.  She is casting a photo shoot for a national pet store campaign and needs to find some specific types for her clients.  Here's the breakdown:

• A couple mid to late 30's, early 40's with dog(s)
• A couple late 20's, early 30's with dog(s)
• A family with children 5 yro - 10 yro with dog(s)
• A couple mide to late 30's, early 40's with dog and cat

If you or anyone you know in Los Angeles is a good fit, visit Grace's website, ShinePetPhotos, to submit yourself.  Previous modeling experience is not required.  There is some financial compensation too.

Break a leg.

Snow Day

Darby and I are having a snow day.  More tomorrow. -- Moira