Dimensions: unconfirmed: 390 x 305 mm
Copyright: © The estate of Keith Arnatt | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Curator: Immediately, this black and white photograph evokes a sense of everyday life tinged with melancholy. Editor: This is Keith Arnatt’s “Walking the Dog,” a work that invites us to consider the intersection of human and animal experience within the framework of societal norms and expectations. Curator: The composition feels stark, almost confrontational. The man and dog are positioned frontally, challenging the viewer. I am curious, does this reflect Arnatt's focus on class, gender, and identity? Editor: Absolutely. Consider the backdrop—a mundane suburban setting fenced off, hinting at boundaries both physical and social. The act of 'walking the dog' becomes a loaded symbol when viewed through the lens of power dynamics and social control. Curator: A fascinating intersection indeed. This photo presents an opportunity to examine our roles and relationships through the simple act of dog walking. Editor: And it is through such thoughtful observation that Arnatt challenges the very fabric of how we perceive the mundane and the societal structures within it.
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Walking the Dog is a large series of black and white photographs of individuals standing outside with their dogs. While the locations depicted in the photographs vary from street pavements and country lanes to parks and gardens, all the images in this series share consistent formal characteristics: in each case the single owner stands full-length in the centre of the image facing the camera with the dog at their feet, and no other human or animal can be seen within the tightly framed square shot.
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