Art&Culture
PUPPY PAINTINGS
For Brooklyn based artist Sophie Larrimore, dogs are not necessarily a point of interest in her practice: they are her practice.
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PUPPY PAINTINGS
Sophie Larrimore focuses on larger, curly haired pups and, for the past few years, she has depicted them in cool colored scenes via acrylic and marker and watercolor. The works recall the colorful expressions of Fauvists from Henri Manguin to Orthon Friesz to even Henri Matisse: they observe the nature of these beautiful beasts, pushing them into loving abstraction to examine both their form and function in our lives.
To get an understanding of what goes into her work—which is currently on display at Portland’s Nationale through November 21—we spoke with Larrimore about her attraction to these animals, what Fauvism means today, and why dogs are to be taken seriously in art.
Dogs, frequently curly, poodle-ish pups, are often the subjects of your work. What draws you to them, in both your practice and in life?
Well, they make good subjects. The focus on the poodles has come about in the past few years. Prior to that I was still working with dogs, not a specific breed, but usually fluffy ones, they are more fun to paint. The most recent work has evolved from portrait type depictions to more general and stylised dog shapes. I used to look at a lot of pictures of dogs for reference, now I don’t look at any, I find it distracting and the results too literal, they are much better when just made up. Poodles are naturally anthropomorphic and that slightly human, slightly alien quality I find really beautiful.
Your paintings often depict dogs in play or investigating, in activities to be unpacked. Do you find that these canine figures represent or symbolise anything beyond the literal?
I certainly hope so. Though whatever those things are I would expect will be different depending on the viewer. I don’t come to the work with any direct narrative. Any ideas I may have about what is going on in each painting is merely a way to move the work forward and is never prescriptive, they are consistently changing as the work develops. In the end, if it is a successful painting, I am surprised by the result. The mark of a good painting is one which changes and reveals itself the longer you look.
Nude women frequently appear in your work in a visual dialogue with dogs. How are these two figures related, in your art and beyond?
It was somehow a natural pairing. There is an ambiguity and tension between the subjects that seems be come out in the work which I find intriguing. It is still evolving.
Your work has been described as Fauvist,a movement marked by colourful nature scenes adjacent to Impressionism. How do you see your practice continuing—or commenting on!—this movement?
The Fauvists used colour to push painting beyond the traditional model of realistic colour, using an over-saturated palette to suggest a deeper emotional state. That over-saturation is now just the state of our everyday lives. The challenge now is working with a lot of colour without making it arbitrary. I see my work in dialog with those painters in that I too am concerned with making a painting in which colour and form are just as important as subject.
As obvious as it sounds, why are dogs important to represent in art? Do you think the art world (and society in general) takes works featuring these animals seriously? Why or why not?
When I started painting dogs that was kind of the point, it was not a subject to be addressed seriously in painting, too naive, too saccharine, maybe too female. A great beginning. More recently the democratisation of subjects has really been embraced and now more than ever there is no subject really off limits. You are seeing more dogs represented in the Art World. There is perhaps still a tendency to approach them with a dose of irony. The work I make is certainly cheeky but I’m am not interested in making jokey paintings, funny paintings, not jokey. I’m more interested in engaging with the larger and richer painting dialog, which, at its most successful, will also address the broader society in which is it operating. Someone once asked if I was serious or not serious about my subject. It seems the goal of any painter should be both.
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All artwork courtesy of Sophie Larrimore
sophielarrimore.com
ISSUE EIGHT — OUT NOW
by Four&Sons
In this issue we challenge stereotypes, big and small. Klaus Dyba’s portraits of hairless dogs embrace the bald and the beautiful, Winnie Au’s fashion-inspired photos take the shame out of the cone, and the stellar lineup in Really Good Dog Photography stir us well away from the obvious fluff. We marvel at artists who can breath life into hounds on paper, screen and space. We travel to the heart of Australia, where dogs can easily become a hungry croc’s lunch. We fall in love with the ultimate four-legged bad-asses (we are looking at you, Brian Griffin) and we hang with farm dogs and their hip humans in the rolling hills of the Hudson Valley. All this, and more, inside the covers.
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Under the cover of darkness
by Emma Guthrie
Death and wilderness play a key role in Lorna Evan’s haunting photography.
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Best of breeds
by Emma Guthrie
Sipke Visser’s new book lifts the lid on the fascinating world of dog shows.
READ MORERecommended
HOLA PEPITO
Don’t be fooled by Pepito & Co.’s adorable name. This brand has total street-cred. Their collars, leashes, sweaters, and blankets are adorned with dinosaurs, hand horns, and a bleeding heart. For the gentler pooches, there are floral prints, bright colours, and geometric patterns to choose from too. The Madrid-based label is a big believer in re-homing rescues over promoting pet commerce, so adopters get rewarded with a 10% discount on their products for a whole year.
Recommended by Jessa Shields
For more information click here
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LUCKY YOU
We’ve been waiting 12 lunar years for this… Illustrator Sum Leung of Woof Models has put a new spin on the traditional red envelope in the shape of six friendly dogs. “Traditionally, red packets are given out in the new year and for celebrations like birthdays, weddings, or a newborn baby,” Leung explains. Her 2018 edition of “lucky money packets” was created in partnership with design agency Studio WMW.
Each envelope features a pup alongside a traditional lunar new-year flower: mandarin, peony, narcissus, pussy willow, cherry blossom, and chrysanthemum. “It’s like a greeting card,” Leung says, “but our packets can be used throughout the year.” Traditionally, each envelope would be filled with money for the lucky recipient. (If anyone’s feeling generous, our mailing address is in the mag.) But, more importantly, 10 percent of every sale goes towards nonprofit animal rescue charities.
Recommended by Four&Sons
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Recommended
DA BOMB
Happy Staffy have proved once again that they’re experts when it comes to timeless dog fashion. The latest piece in the Berlin-based brand’s collection is a slick black bomber jacket. Is there any item of outerwear more trans-seasonal, versatile, or just plain cool? The jackets are waterproof, and include handy zipper pockets for treats or poop bags. Each garment is made new according to your dog’s specific measurements, which guarantees that every Happy Staffy customer goes home a happy chappy.
Recommended by Jessa Shields
For more information click here
Recommended
BEST IN SHOW
If you’re anything like us, you love an open-house snoop. So, if you happen to be strolling through the British town of Brighton this May, don’t miss your chance to drop into The Dog Show, when historic-home owner and dog lover Joanna Osborne opens her doors. From May 5 to 27, Osborne will host over 200 pieces of “the very best available” dog art—from linocuts to linen to sculpture—by various human artists. It sounds quirky, and it is, but it’s also packed with serious talent. There will be dog-drawing classes by artist Sally Muir, and there will be homemade treats and tea (this is England, after all). Perhaps best of all, there will be portraits: award-winning photographer Alma Haser will be snapping pictures of pets in a pop-up Dog Photobooth. Places are limited, so don’t dally.
Recommended by Four&Sons
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MINDFUL MINIMAL
Velvet Hippo applies their experience in the furniture and fashion industry to design refined dog beds and chew toys, without garish colours or messy patterns. A particularly luxuriant addition is the ethically sourced Asher Icelandic sheepskin throw. It’s naturally repellent to water and enticingly warm, so your favourite friend will be hard to shift once they sink their paws into it. Velvet Hippo truly celebrates the interconnectivity of dog and human and cross-species cohabitation. Comfort for them, aesthetic for you; it’s the best of both worlds.
Recommended by Libby Borton
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Recommended
HUDSON TO SEINE
A newbie in The City of Light—a Norwich terrier called Hudson just wants to make friends. Unfortunately, he thought all dogs spoke Dog, but in Paris, it turns out they speak French. With the instruction of Madame Vera, a charmingly chic Poodle, Hudson learns the language to become a Parisian—or a Paris-Chien. The book is written and hand-painted by Jackie Clark Mancuso, whose tactile brushstrokes beautifully illustrate modest boulangeries, blooming parks, and, above all, delightful doggy companions. With scenes to entertain even the youngest, more restless eye, it is a joy to follow Hudson’s lead. Don’t overlook the petite dictionnaire for those looking to learn the lingo!
Recommended by Four&Sons
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Recommended
DOG DO GOOD
Who runs the world? Dogs, of course. And, in the case of Animals in Charge, a particular pooch named Pixel, who demands only the best for his kind. Founded in 2015 by Alex and Mel Barnett, their products are respectful of tradition, ranging from leads and collars to bowls and ID tags. Made with outstanding integrity and genuine care, their passion married with Pixel’s discernment has allowed them to create products to the highest level. Organic cotton leashes can be paired with wood-block patterned collars (hand-printed in India) or bespoke-dyed and weaved cotton collars (made in Guatemala on a hand-operated loom). They also foster, rescue, and rehome dogs from inhumane puppy farms and donate 5% of profits to rescue and rehabilitation charities. The world definitely is a rosier place from a pooch’s point of view.
Recommended by Four&Sons
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Art&Culture
OMMIDOGS ON SHOW
by Libby Borton
Artist Michael Gillette merges pop culture and pups. From Saturday March 24, you can find Gillette’s pack at Luna Rienne Gallery in San Francisco.
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THE COSY CORNER
Bad Marlon are renowned for innovative dog beds, such as the iconic Deauville doghouse and playful Ravioli. Made up of three designers, Yong-sik Kim, Min-kyung Lee and Hye-jeong Chun, their ambition is to create something comfortable and beautiful for both dogs and owners.
Their latest edition, Marron, allows beloved pets to slumber in splendour in a tastefully taco-shaped bed. Made from arched felt in either navy or oatmeal, and fixed with strong magnet, the Marron is topped with a plump cotton pillow in ivory or pink.
Recommended by Libby Borton
For more information click here
Art&Culture
NEW YEAR, NEW SHOW
by Jessa Shields
This illustration collective is starting off the New Year on the right paw, with an inaugural Hong Kong exhibition: Dog Show.
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