Walking the Dog 1976 - 1979

Editor: Keith Arnatt's black and white photograph, "Walking the Dog," presents a very ordinary scene. The contrast between the man's somber expression and the fluffy dog is quite striking. What do you see in this piece? Curator: This image speaks volumes about the human condition, doesn't it? Consider the ancient symbol of the dog - often representing loyalty, but also the shadow self. Arnatt places this domesticated 'shadow' against a crumbling edifice, a ruin. What memories might these symbols evoke? Editor: So, it's not just a man and his dog, but a deeper meditation on the passage of time and perhaps even mortality? Curator: Precisely. The photograph suggests a poignant dialogue between the present and the past, played out through these resonant images. Editor: I'll never look at a simple dog walk the same way again.