Good Dog Bad Dog examines humans and dogs
By Matthew A. Terry
Lance Writer
June 15, 2010
Art throughout the ages has explored and exploited two things—animals and religion. While these topics are clichéd, it is still possible to explore them without seeming tired and common. Kingsville native and long-time Artcite alumnus Ed Janzen attempts to draw connections between dogs, man, and religion and explores metaphor through his new exhibit Good Dog Bad Dog, which opened June 4 at Artcite.
Janzen had been planning out the show for the past month, but had been thinking of it for a lot longer than that. “I thought of doing a dog show for about eight years now,” said Janzen.
Three pieces of artwork—a broken plaster Milk-Bone dog treat that spills projected biblical text onto the wall, a fibreglass Milk-Bone cross hung over a video montage of a man feeding dogs, and a series of rear-projected images inside a doghouse door of a man curled up—compose the exhibit. Each of the pieces explores a different aspect of humanity and our relationships with both religion and each other.
“Dogs possess some of the best and worst qualities of humans,” said Janzen. “They share one of the closest relationships with humans.”
It is this relationship that Janzen explores in the doghouse piece. Not only did he demonstrate the cramped and tiny conditions humans treat dogs when they are forced into the doghouse, but he also explores the similarities between the human condition and dogs. The naked and penitent man represented in the piece shows the emotional side of regretting one’s actions—the relationship between this piece and penance was also the key link between the piece and the rest of the show.
“’The other’ is thought of as either something to be feared or something to feel empathetic with,” explained Janzen. “This relationship also holds true for humans and dogs.”
The last two pieces are very religious in nature—words of Christian scripture spilled out of the plaster Milk-Bone treat which demonstrated the fear and loathing of dogs, and those who act like dogs, in the Bible. One of the excerpts read, “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision,” (Philippians 3:2) which demonstrates the poor opinion held of dogs in the Bible. The other piece—a cross formed of two fibreglass recreations of Milk-Bone treats hung above the flat screen television where a video of dogs being fed treats plays—demonstrates the similarities between the ritual of the Communion and the care and ownership of dogs.
“All the dogs in the video are all Humane Society dogs,” said Janzen. “I arranged with the Humane Society to film me feeding the dogs treats.”
In the video, while most of the dogs ate the treats—or, in following the metaphor, accepted communion—one of the dogs refused the treat, and instead turned abruptly away. While the act was entirely accidental, the choice for the video was purposeful.
“I would relate it back to the nature of the dog and the apprehension in taking the commitment to faith,” said Janzen. “On the surface the dog not taking communion is seen as being a ‘bad dog,’ but it's deeper than that. It is really commenting on judgementality.”
Good Dog Bad Dog is a fantastic show and I wholly recommend a view. It will be on display until July 3 at Artcite, 109 University Ave. W. Gallery hours are from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., or by appointment, and admission is free. Call (519) 977-6564 or visit www.artcite.ca for more information. |
