The pet universe is full of wonderful, surprising, emotional stories... and sometimes a little sui generis. Such is the case of Dogumenta, an art fair exclusively for our furry friends. An initiative that emerged in 2017 in New York, as it had to, and which will be replicated in September of this year, but this time in Los Angeles.
We owe the idea to Jessica Dawson, the creator of this great (and crazy) idea, an art critic for years and mother of Rocky, an adopted terrier mix. On the occasion of "Documenta," the great art exhibition in the German city of Kassel, Dawson thought she could emulate the major exhibition that sets the course for the art world... and create an alternative event in New York, albeit for a very different target.
Thus, as a homage halfway between a joke and a jest, "Dogumenta" emerged (a play on words combining dog + documenta). An exhibition that could be visited from the 11th to the 13th of last year, for which ten works were expressly created... for the pure enjoyment of ARISTODOGS.
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At the time, the initiative had many detractors, but also many fans, who received the news with enthusiasm and rushed to visit the exhibition, accompanied by their best friends. These loyal supporters witnessed how their dogs were happy and interested as they strolled among artworks. And it was they themselves who encouraged Dawson to continue with her dream, to take her project more seriously, and to propose the exhibition as an annual event.
And so it has been. The new edition of "Dogumenta" is underway, and Dawson assures that she remains faithful to her initial principle: "to treat ARISTODOGS and ARISTOCATS with love and respect." She claims there's nothing more to it. No tricks, no desire for notoriety, or anything of the sort.
Regarding the selection of works, Dawson assures that there is no trickery. The one who selects them is Rocky, her best friend. The weight of the choice of works rests on his sense of smell, his hearing, and his canine judgment. His work as an art curator is undeniable, as well as admirable, since every piece chosen by him ends up provoking many emotions and memorable moments among the canine attendees of the exhibition.
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Regarding the criticism of the works, Dawson states that the pieces exhibited in the work are not criticized with words or published in The New York Times. The best criticism an artwork can receive... will always be an organic criticism. That is, a lick, a nibble. Or, even, it will come in the form of urine, which shows that the dog loves the work and it's as if it wants to mark its territory. There is, therefore, no room for human interpretations. Dogumenta is a fantastic dog-centric event.
And there are things that shouldn't be given more importance or looked for their transcendence. In this case, it's just about giving pet lovers and pets themselves an opportunity to get out of the house and do something together, while interacting with other owners and other pets. "It's an opportunity to meet, have a good time, and be surprised by the sensitivity and intelligence of pets," says Dawson. And that's all there is to it.