Dog Days

The Polygon Gallery presents Dog Days, an exhibition that focuses on the relationship between canines and humans through photography, and video works.

Dog Days is a survey of the camera’s interactions with our canine companions. Today, dogs figure prominently in visual culture through Instagram feeds, viral videos, memes and other media, yet our photographic obsession with dogs is as old as the camera itself. Dog Days features contemporary works, classic images, and vintage photographs from several local archives and collections, considering how dogs have shaped, and are shaped by, human society. Together, these pictures reveal how dogs have remained an enduring metaphor and a potent symbol in human history, an integral part of everyday life, and a favourite subject of the camera.

Dogs on leashes are welcome in the exhibition.

Events

Dog Tintype Portrait Studio by Geoffrey Wallang
Sundays, July 21 and July 28

Vancouver artist Geoffrey Wallang will be constructing a temporary tintype dog portrait studio at The Polygon Gallery.
Available Sundays, July 21 and 28, between 10.30AM - 4.00PM
Cost: $250 for a dog portrait session and a unique 5" x 7" tintype (with or without the owner in the portrait).

Dog Portrait Studio by Shari Hatt
Sunday August 11 and Tuesday, August 20
Award-winning artist Shari Hatt has created portraits of dogs owned by the Duke and Duchess of York and the late British fashion designer Alexander McQueen. McQueen produced a series of clothing and greeting cards featuring the dog portraits "Dog Save McQueen" (2009). Hatt's dog portrait work is in collections such as the National Gallery of Canada, the Canada Council Art Bank, the Banff Centre for the Arts, the Winnipeg Art Gallery, and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, among others.

Available Sunday, August 11, between 11AM - 4:00PM
Cost: $1,000 for a dog portrait session and a unique 16" x 16" signed chromogenic photograph.

Reservations are required for both portrait studios. To book an appointment, please call the gallery at 604-986-1351 or email info@thepolygon.ca.

Exhibition Tours

Tours of Dog Days will be hosted every Saturday at 2PM. To join the tour, meet at the ground floor lobby at 1:55PM. These tours are recommended for general visitors as an introduction to the exhibition.