Walking the Dog 1976 - 1979

Curator: Keith Arnatt's "Walking the Dog" offers a fascinating glimpse into everyday life, rendered in black and white. The artwork, now part of the Tate Collections, depicts a woman and her dog against the backdrop of what appears to be a butcher shop. Editor: My first thought? Resignation. There’s a certain weariness in the woman’s posture, mirrored, perhaps, in the dog’s… subdued energy. Curator: Indeed. Arnatt often explored themes of identity and the mundane. The butcher shop backdrop is quite telling; it introduces the symbolism of consumption and mortality. The dog, of course, could be seen as a symbol of loyalty or instinct. Editor: It's interesting how the reflection in the shop window creates another layer, blurring the lines between the real and the perceived. Like a memento mori, that meat hanging behind her. Curator: Absolutely. Arnatt’s photograph invites contemplation on the ordinary, urging us to find meaning in the seemingly insignificant. Editor: Maybe it's a moment of connection in a world obsessed with meat. I'm left pondering the interplay between the woman, her dog, and the unspoken narratives surrounding them.