Community, Photography
Down the track
Thomas Freteur’s Cynodrome captures remote communities gathering at Belgium’s dog tracks.
s READ MORE
CLOSE
CLOSE
Down the track
Photographer Thomas Freteur has been spending some time down at the dog tracks. There are only three (barely) remaining in Belgium, and Freteur’ natural tendencies toward unknown coteries dragged him from one to the other.
The remote communities, their short-term nervousness before the race and long-term unease about the future of the sport (for lack of funding), is desperately acknowledged on his series Cynodrome. And the baggage precedes Freteur’ study is interesting. “Two years ago, I covered the daily life of a pet cemetery… which slowly drives me to the background of greyhound racing in Belgium in 2014,” Freteur explains. “A friend brought me on a spring day to that incredible place, located 10km away from Liège (Belgium) and I directly jumped into that reality during one race season. I should also tell you that project helped me to face my fear of dogs, and I feel cured.”
Even from an impartial, initially frightened, perspective, Freteur is acutely aware of the camaraderie in the scene. He remembers overhead conversations, “There are people who do think that in a glance their dogs will run. But a dog, for racing, you need to give him love and training as soon as he reaches 8 weeks,” one trainer says. “We don’t go on vacations since 1998, our dogs bring us all around and that is our joy!”
—
All images by Thomas Freteur
DOG-FRIENDLY: TAKE THE LEAD
We are thrilled to introduce Dog-Friendly, a collection of city guides for dog-loving people, created together with our long-time contributor, photographer Winnie Au, and fellow enthusiasts, indie publisher Hoxton Mini Press. Available for purchase here.
August 25, 2021
PACK OF DOGS
Have you ever imagined Amy Winehouse or Nick Cave as a Chihuahua, Neil Young as a Vizsla, or PJ Harvey as an Afghan hound? That’s exactly what San Francisco-based artist Michael Gillette has done through his unique illustration project, blending beloved, iconic music legends, both past and present, with their dog counterparts. Pack of Dogs, our first foray into book publishing, is a celebration of pup and pop culture for music and dog lovers alike.
August 25, 2020
JUMP FOR JOY
Photographer Rebecca Rinaldi knows that to capture a dog’s true essence, play is the key ingredient.
July 13, 2023
PLAY DATE
An antidote to mass-produced dog accessories, MiaCara’s range of carefully crafted toys are designed to surprise, endure and delight.
July 12, 2023
REALLY GOOD DOGS
Photographer Randal Ford’s fierce clarity draws dogs’ personality to the fore to reveal each animal’s “true essence”.
June 8, 2023
JET SET PET
Moving your buddy from A to be B becomes an exercise in style, comfort and convenience with Cloud7’s Travel Collection.
June 2, 2023
NATURAL INSTINCT
In his series ‘Kinetic’, San Diego-based photographer James Lee celebrates dogs at full speed.
May 7, 2023
POODLE ELITE
Jouk Oosterhof photographs Amsterdam’s beloved family members (with a dash of lifestyle accessory).
May 3, 2023
TEAM EFFORT
What started as a fundraising effort to save photographer Kristoffer Paulsen’s beloved dog Josie, morphed into Melbourne’s most in-demand pet portraits.
March 31, 2023
KINGDOM OF HOUNDS
For decades, legendary Irish documentary photographer Tony O’Shea has captured the country’s annual drag hunt, and a country’s rich history along with it.
March 24, 2023
THE DOG MAKER
Thanks to hungry wolves and ancient humans, there are over 350 dog breeds in the world today. Artist Hosung Jang offers more.
February 27, 2023
FAR-OFF REALMS
Suspended between vintage past and surrealist future, The Brigadoon Dispatch is a portal to new realms of creativity.
February 24, 2023
Loading more posts...