Walking the Dog 1976 - 1979

Curator: Keith Arnatt's photographic work, "Walking the Dog," captures a moment of quiet observation. What strikes you first about it? Editor: Immediately, the stillness. Both figures, human and canine, are posed yet exude an air of detached contemplation against a very banal brick wall backdrop. It feels almost performative. Curator: I feel that. Arnatt had a conceptual playfulness. The mundane titles, the flat compositions, they're a bit of a cheeky wink at art world pretension. Editor: It’s hard to ignore how the dog’s presence almost overshadows the human. There's a power dynamic to unpack, the symbolism of companion animals, maybe even questions of control and freedom... Curator: Or perhaps a mirroring? The dog, a fluffy monument to domesticated life, next to its minder, both existing on the periphery. Editor: Perhaps. It certainly presents a fascinating glimpse into the everyday, laden with understated complexities. Curator: Yes, and maybe a little sad.