Tag: greyhound

Venice Biennale: Steve McQueen’s Giardini Dogs

The fantastical art experience known as the Venice Biennale opened to the public yesterday and dogs are already making a statement. Specifically the greyhounds that appear in British artist Steve McQueen’s film Giardini, which is actually two films screened side by side showing images of Venice’s public gardens. This is not the Venice of summer and the art world. It is the haunted, quiet Venice of February.

There is not exactly a story, although there are two men who interact in a way that hints at a narrative. But according to Charlotte Higgins of The Guardian:

The most arresting characters are the dogs who appear like a leitmotif through the work. “They are racing greyhounds that would otherwise be shot but are looked after by a charity,” said McQueen. The point is that they ought to be dead – and are thus a kind of ghostly presence, he added.

Hear Steve McQueen discuss his work and see clips of the film:

The Independent’s Charles Darwent glowingly reviews the film and concludes:

Every now and then, I’m reminded of my good fortune in being a critic, and seeing Giardini in the Giardini is such a moment. I know Venice is far away and that there are other things to do there, but make the trip for McQueen, if you can.

I would echo Darwent’s advice. Attending the Venice Biennale was one of the most magical experiences of my life. If you get a chance, go. Click here for more information. It runs until November 22, 2009.

June 9, 2009
17th Century Greyhound Sculpture Aquired by the Rijksmuseum

Bronze Greyhound by Artus Quellinus, 1609-1668

Hat tip to Michèle of Brussels, writer of the wonderful Eurodog blog, who keeps me informed of the latest European dog art news. When she sent me this post about this magnificent Greyhound bronze , I thought it was a contemporary piece. In fact, this lifesize dog sculpture was created in the mid-17th century by Artus Qhellinus of Antwerp.

Note the dog's detailed collar. On it, is the Roose family coat of arms, so it is thought that this is a dog portrait of the family's pet. Once again we see there is nothing new in our obsession with our dogs and our desire to memorialize them through art.

This is one of five sculptures recently acquired by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Visit their website for more information.

April 24, 2009
Pop Dog Collages by Michel Keck

German Shepherd

Day 5 of my Holiday Gift Guide, and I intended to present an array of dog prints. But then Michel Keck’s work showed up in my inbox this morning, and I couldn’t get past them. I’ve featured may pop artists and many collage artists, but she is the first pop collage dog artists I’ve found. I really like her work and I thought you would too.

Her open edition prints range from $35 -$399 depending on size. They are available here.

Golden Retriever

Greyhound

Labrador Retriever

Boxer

Learn more about Michel, a prolific, self-taught, Midwestern, dog-loving artist, at her website and blog.

P.S. I have more prints coming in the next few days, too.

December 7, 2008
Recap: Just Dogs at La Motta Fine Art

Dogs and their owners showed up last Saturday for the opening reception of Just Dogs at La Motta Fine Art in Hartford, CT. As I previously mentioned, several of my collages and my film Dogs in Art are in the show.

Galley owner, Janice La Motta, was very pleased with the reception and noted that there was great range of dog parading in and out all day, surprisingly no duplicate breeds.

The fabulous Monica McLaughlin (no relation as far as we know) of Plans for Pups came in from Manhattan with her two Westies, Missy Paulette and Casey Jane, dressed up for the occasion and took some photos for me, as did fellow artist Jane O’Hara, in from Rhode Island with her husband, artist Gedas Paskauskas.

Gary Steinborn’s Venice Clay Dogs grace the window.

Janice La Motta and Jane O’Hara

Any Basset Hound art?

Monica McLaughlin with Missy Paulette, Casey Jane, and new friend who loved them both.

Dog art lovers mix and mingle. (See my movie on a pedestal. I love it!)

Moira McLaughlin originals.

Also, my collage Greyhound’s Goddess sold to art collector Linda Cheverton Wick and her husband, artist Walter Wick of the I Spy book series. Needless to say, I am thrilled!

Sold!

Just Dogs at La Motta Fine Art runs until August 22, 2008.

More Information:

La Motta Fine Art
11 Whitney Street
Hartford, CT 06105
860.680.3596

August 2, 2008
Obama Wins: Iowans Choose To Roll The Dice!

Barack Obama is on to New Hampshire with a win!

One more political post (for now) and then I’ll go back to dog art. Arianna Huffington beautifully sums up last night’s win for Obama and why all Americans should be proud of it.

I love this quote:

“Tonight voters decided that they didn’t want to look back. They wanted to look into the future — as if a country exhausted by the last seven years wanted to recapture its youth.”

(Greyhound sculpture by Loet Vanderveen available at Sovereign Hound Gallery.)

January 4, 2008
Barack The Italian Greyhound: Or Why Senator Obama Will Be Our Next President

My friend Kathleen has an awesome Greyhound named Oliver. When I asked her sister, Valerie, to take a picture of him standing for a collage I was making, she reported that it was impossible. "He's either napping or running full speed." A check of Greyhounds on Wikipedia confirms this tendancy. "[They] are often referred to as forty-five mile an hour couch potatoes." That sounds like Senator Barack Obama.

"Wake me up in time for Iowa."

I'm not saying Obama is a couch potato, but when comparing his dazzling keynote address at the 2004 Democratic Convention, his moving announcement to run for president, and his packed arena Oprah tours to his stalled campaign throughout the summer and well into the fall, it appears that he, too, has two modes, napping or racing. And suddenly, today, we wake up to a new year with news from the Des Moines Register that Obama is polling at 32% to Clinton's 25% and Edwards's 24%. It looks like Obama is back on the racetrack and he's going to win.

Now, I've chosen specifically the Italian Greyhound to represent Senator Obama because IGs have tremendous strength for such fragile looking dogs. And, "their large, strong lungs enable a bark that is deeper than one might expect from a small dog." Every time Obama speaks I'm surprised by the deep tone of his voice.

I'm also struck by the look in women's eyes when they attend his rallies. They seem wistful, like they are flashing back to their first Bon Jovi concert in 1984. Women like his beauty, elegance, and groove. I think Obama might have earned the nomination with this dance move on Ellen:

I think he might have earned the presidency with this Hillary zinger at the last debate:

Finally, he looked cool again. Not just cool as in control, but cool as in "I want to be like that guy." You see, men like cool.

Add to that the fact that from movies like Hitch and Bringing Down the House, to TV shows like The King of Queens and Scrubs, and advertising like this "Play Artist Korn" Ford Focus ad…

…white dudes are categorically uncool now. In fact, it could be argued that in today's culture white dudes are the new dumb blondes.

The Olly Girls

And we have been run off the rails by a cabal of scary, conniving white dudes. Face it. Even Condoleezza Rice is a white dude.

© Brendan Smialowski for The New York Times

America doesn't want to be the doofus at the international table anymore.

President Bush gropes German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the G-8 Summit.

We want to be cool.

© Annie Leibovitz

So, combine the massive outpouring of money into the Democratic coffers, the rabid hatred of Hillary, the ascendance of a super cool, good-looking (ok, I'll say it — sexy) candidate who finally realizes the race is on, and you get a winner. You get President Barack Obama. Rock on!

January 1, 2008