DOGS ARE THE BEST PEOPLE

Art&Culture

DOGS ARE THE BEST PEOPLE

Up close, it’s hard to tell if Jack Mears’ ceramic sculptures are dogs or humans.

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DOGS ARE THE BEST PEOPLE

WORDS BY Jessa Shields

“My favourite kinds of jokes are the ones when you’re not sure if it’s a joke or if there’s anything to ‘get’,” says Jack Mears, which instantly explains so much about his work. Mears has a thing for silly dogs, and so he sculpts them into ceramic figures or draws their likeness. Despite completing an illustration course, Mears found himself increasingly pulled towards sculpture. “I started making ceramics to take a break from drawing. I find it therapeutic to spend time using my hands. I would recommend it to anyone.”

Surreal and very tongue-in-cheek, Mears’s sculptures have tiny dog heads on human-like bodies with breasts and bums. They sometimes take typical dog positions—cocking a leg, for example—and other times sit upright and cross-legged, or perform a difficult backwards bridge yoga pose. Mears blurs the line between human and animal, encouraging you to look closer. Bonus points if you have a giggle: “It’s always nice to see people laughing at my dogs,” he says.

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All images courtesy of Jack Mears.
jack-mears.com

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