Doggie-Themed Art Happening Embraces Chinese New Year In London

Embracing the Underdog chinese-new-year

Chinese New Year, got off with a woof yesterday with the launch of ‘Embracing the Underdog’, celebrating the Year of The Dog. Over one hundred and twenty emerging and underground artists put on what could be described as a doggie-themed art happening.

This annual event was buzzy and sometimes groundbreaking

Performance and installation art dominated five levels and ramps of this annual ‘Pop Up’ exhibition. The 120 artists showed sculptures, installations, site-specific interventions, videos, sound works and performances – a surprising eclecticism of works with contrasting scales and materials with many stretching creative experimentations to the limit. The quality was varied with many pieces worthy of Tate and some Crufts. The public was invited to bring their dogs to the event, poo-bags were provided by the organisers.

The show was well-attended with live performances including Sarah Pager and Puff Doggy, storytelling by Giles Abbot, Waste Not Want Not by Sooz Belnavis and A Never Ending Journey by Ann Grim.  There was also plenty of Peroni beer to go around.

People born in the Year of the Dog possess the best traits of human nature. They are honest, faithful, friendly, loyal, straightforward, intelligent, admired and have a strong sense of responsibility.

Embracing the Underdog was curated by Susan Haire with the support of the Geoff Leong Foundation and presented with The London Group and Friends. One of the longest-running and most prestigious artists’ collectives in the world The London Group champions breadth and diversity of work and independent thinking.

 

Artlyst has selected 12 of their favourite exhibits although there were many more worthy of mention.

Embracing the Underdog
Paul Tecklenberg Canis Major 2018
Embracing the Underdog
Carol Wyss, Signs
Embracing the Underdog
Alina Gavrielatos, The Temple of Snoopy 2018
Embracing the Underdog
Julia Maddison, Self-Portrait as a Dog 2018
Embracing the Underdog
Mark Woods, Not A Little Doggy Anymore, 2018
Embracing the Underdog
Teo Robinson, Iatrogenesis, 2018 mixed media, installation and performance
Embracing the Underdog
Tisna Westerhof, Topdog vs Underdog
Embracing the Underdog
Ann Grim
Embracing the Underdog
Julian Rowe, I, the Moon Dog
Embracing the Underdog
Rebecca Scott, Underdog Gogo
Embracing the Underdog
Vanja Karas, Waiting for Dogot
Embracing the Underdog
Vanya Balogh

Exhibiting artists:

Giles Abbot: Melissa Alley: Özgül Arslan: Jessica Bailey: Keith Ball: Nadia Ballan: Vanya Balogh: Rosalind Barker: Deborah Bee: James Bell: Sooz Belnavis: Alison Berry: Anita Bryan: Lucinda Burgess: Heather Burrell: Clive Burton LG: Cedric Christie: Christopher Clack & Gillian Cargill: Roger Clarke: Nina Coulson: Jude Cowan Montague: Phoenix-Blu Coyle: Jo Dye: Jane Eyton: Rebecca Feiner: Glenn Fitzy Fitzpatrick: Mandee Gage: Cathy Gale: Toni Gallagher: Ray Gange: Alina Gavrielatos: Mikey Georgeson: Jill Gibson: Jason Gibilaro: Phillip Raymond Goodman: Ann Grim’: Caroline Gregory: Gzillion Artist: Fiona Haines: Susan Haire PLG & Andrea Cavallari: Alexandra Harley: Katie Hayward: Aude Hérail Jäger LG: Martin Heron LG: Nicola Hicks: Alexander Hinks: Bob Hinks: Julius Hinks: Samantha Jarman LG: Vera Jefferson: Katya Kan: Vanja Karas: Miyuki Kasahara: Calum F Kerr: Will Kerr: Kristina Kotov: Suzanne Bella Land: Bob Lawson: Cate Lis: Irene Lopéz Fernández: Susana Lopéz Fernández: Noel Grassy Macken: Julia Maddison: Lee Maelzer: Nerys Mathias: Fiona McAuliffe: Joanna McCormick: Stacie McCormick: Jake Modern: Nicole Mollett: Morrissey & Hancock: Andrea Morucchio: Venetia Nevill: Valeriya N-Georg: Darren Nisbett LG: Norah Nona: Micheál O’Connell: Sarah Pager: Penelope Payne: John Plowman: Rosie Polet: Mandy Prowse: Eva Raboso: Jim Racine: David Redfern LG: JL Reed: Thomas J Ridley: Teo Robinson: India Roper Evans: Jim Roseveare: Pascal Rousson: Julian Rowe: Joseph Sakoilsky: Paul Sakoilsky: Tom Scase LG: Rebecca Scott: Ashley Scott Fitzgerald: Tommy Seaward LG: Martin Sexton: Meg Shirayama: John Siger Baker: Chris Simpson: Gina Southgate: Sarah Sparkes: Aerial Sparks: Spizz Energi: Barbara Stanzl: Angela Carol Stocker: Susan Supercharged: Katie Surridge: Franny Swann: Mervyn Syna: Jonny Tanna: Almuth Tebbenhoff LG: Paul Tecklenberg LG: Robert Noah Tigg: Monika Tobel: Graham Tunnadine: Mario Varas Sanchez: Neil Weerdmeester LG: Tisna Westerhof LG: Stella Whalley & Toby Bricheno: Emma Witter: Jeanine Wollard: Mark Woods: Angela Wright: Carol Wyss: Toko Yamamoto: Blair Zaye: and a real singing dog

Photos: By PC Robinson and Sara Faith © Artlyst 2018

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