Dog Art Today

Tag: artnet

  • Woman with Dog: Part II

    Woman_with_dog_duane_hanson

    Woman with Dog by Duane Hanson, 1977

    I feel I did a disservice to Duane Hanson (1995-1926) in Friday's post.  I didn't mention that he was an artist who specialized in lifesize fiberglass sculpture of incredibly real-looking individuals.  Several people commented on what they thought was a photograph of a woman with a dog, when in actuality it is a sculpture. 

    Alex Geana of the Huffington Post reviewed this year's Whitney Biennial and reported one of his favorite pieces was Woman with Dog because the guards had taken to standing perfectly still behind the work, turning it into a performance piece, asking the viewer "to ponder is the statuesque guardian, living or inanimate."  I probably should have used this photo to begin with…

    Woman_with_dog_guard

    Read Alex Geana's review here.  And Artnet's Jerry Saltz writes about Duane Hanson's 1999 Whitney retrospective here with several photos of more amazing works.

  • Bendix Harms: Puppies + Babies

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    Herr Harms, 2008

    Artnet's Elisabeth Kley on Bendix Harms's Lebenslieben installation at Anton Kern Gallery in NYC:

    "Like Pablo Picasso (whose late works his paintings also resemble), Harms celebrates family life, and the show’s main subject is his desire for babies and a dog."

    Herr Harms (above) appears to incorporate his desire for both. Very interesting.

    Show runs until October 4. More info here.

  • Zhou Chunya’s Green Dogs Invade Indonesia

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    Green Dog Sculpture 2006

    Contemporary Chinese artist Zhou Chunya’s famous Green Dogs are on display at the Indonesian National Gallery from now until February 1. Zhou’s work, an intriguing mix of traditional Chinese painting and German Expressionism (he recieved his master’s degree in Kassel, Germany) has become identified with his famous Green Dog, who is based on his pet German Shepherd who he painted for over 10 years.

    Sadly, the dog has since passed away from suspicious circumstances. Zhou believes he was poisoned by a neighbor. But much like George Rodrigue found solace in painting his beloved Blue Dog after her death, Zhou’s Green Dog continues to inspire him and dog art lovers around the world.

    I couldn’t determine which pieces are in the show, so I curated my own exhibition here at Dog Art Today. Enjoy.

    Zhou_green_dog_no_1_06
    Green Dog No.1, 2006

    Zhou_green_dog_brotherhood
    Brotherhood, 2006

    Zhou_green_dog_back
    Green Dog

    Zhou_green_dog_titi_nr_3
    Titi Nr. 3 2007

    Zhou_green_dog_04
    Green Dog No.10, 2004

    Zhou_green_dog_bronze
    Green Dog Bronze

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    Green Hai Gen No. 10, 2001

    All images courtesy of Artnet.

    P.S. If you’re interested in contemporary Chinese art, I highly recommend Nell Freudenberger’s novel The Dissident. It takes you from the edgy art scene of Beijing’s East Village in the 90s to contemporary LA where a celebrated Chinese artist comes to live with a dysfunctional American family. The author’s books about China selected reading list is added value to this breezy, intelligent debut novel. OK, I’ll come right out and say it, I don’t hate Nell Freudenberger!

  • Cosima von Bonin’s Dog Art

    Cosima_home_01
    (Roger and Out installation)

    Cosima von Bonin’s Roger and Out is now showing at MOCA. Von Bonin, who was born in Kenya and works in Germany, is considered one of the most influential artists in today’s art scene. She’s known for her prolific work with a wide range of media including sculpture, photography, textiles, installation, performance and video. Dogs frequently appear in her art as she explores the idea of play, indoctrination, gender representations, identity and self-reflection.

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    (Roger and Out catalogue)

    This is her first solo museum exhibition in the US. I hope to get to MOCA and witness the work of such a creative mind, and of course check out the dogs. Show runs until Jan. 7, 2008. (source: Ann Goldstein, MOCA senior curator.)

    Cosima_von_bonin_2
    (Kapitulation/Capitulation via Koelnischerkunstverein)

    Cosima_von_bonin_3
    (Untitled via Artnet.)

  • Huang Yong Ping’s Amerigo Vespucci Dog Sculpture

    Huangyongping

    Artnet’s Walter Robinson strolls the property of art collector Jerome Stern and discovers his fondness for art in the woods. One of the fabulous sculptures he finds on Stern’s 17-acre Quioque, NY estate is Huang Yong Ping’s Amerigo Vespucci — a life-sized aluminum Mastiff urinating a puddle in the shape of the United States. It’s one of several works celebrating the “primordial theme of relieving oneself.” Take a woodsy walk, visit Stern’s artbarn, and have your own primordial encounter with art and nature by appointment only.