William Wegman

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William Wegman

• A Canines Best Friend

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The Dog Guy

• From fairy tales to
• fashion, in photographs and
• film, William Wegman's
• talented Weimeraners
• are among the most
• recognizable art images of
• the 20th century.

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• Wegman's photographs, videotapes, paintings, and
  drawings have been exhibited in museums and
  galleries internationally. He has created film
  and video works for "Saturday Night Live" and
  "Nickelodeon" his video segments appear
  regularly on "Sesame Street." His other works
  include books of Cinderella, Little Red Riding
  Hood, Farm Days and Mother Goose and the videos
  "Alphabet Soup" and "Fay's Twelve Days of
  Christmas." In addition, Wegman has received many
  awards, including two Guggenheim Fellowships and
  two National Endowment for the Arts grants.

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• Like Marcel Duchamp and Man Ray before him,
  Wegman explores in his art the untapped features
  of both conventional and unconventional
  materials. Wegman functioned in an era when
  anything---found objects, photography, words,
  video, and mixed media as well as more
  traditional means such as drawing and
  painting---were available for making art.
• Wegman differs from many conceptual artists
  because his art is accessible through its
  emotional or logical poignancy. Virtually every
  piece, however provocative its didactic message,
  is laced with humor and bespeaks a deep sense of
  humanity. Both qualities are evident in his
  treatment of anthropomorphized dogs in his
  photography and video, as well as in his cryptic
  drawings, which address a broad scope of human
  experience.

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From Painting Onward

• My background is in painting but in school in
  the
• sixties, like many artists of that time, I
  believed that
• painting was dead. I began to work in
  collaboration with
• other artists in music and technology in the
  creation of
• performances and installation works. Soon after I
  started
• making video pieces and photographic works of my
• performances and installations and in the process
  became
• fascinated with the media itself. Before long I
  was setting
• things up just for the camera in video and
  photography.
• In l970 I got a dog and he turned out to be very
  interested
• in video and photography as well.

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Wegmans first Weimaraner was named Man Ray
(1970-1982) after the famous pop artist. He had
promised his wife they would get a dog after they
moved to California from Wisconsin. A Weimaraner
was literally decided upon by a flip of a coin.
Dusted, 1982 Elephant, 1982
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The Weimaraner

• This breed - developed to fulfill all needs of
  the German hunteris best known for its
  versatility. Centuries of selective breeding have
  cultivated aptitudes for pointing, retrieving,
  and tracking of both feathered and furred game.
  Known as the "Forester's Dog," the Weimaraner is
  the constant companion of the professional German
  forester, who must control predatory animals,
  bring poachers to justice, track wounded game,
  and regulate all aspects of game management.
  After sharing these tasks all day, the forester's
  dog joins home and hearth all evening. Because of
  centuries of close bonding, the Weimaraner has
  become dependent on human companionship. This is
  a breed that thrives best as a household
  companion, sharing all family activities.

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Fay Ray (1984-1995) was Wegmans second dog,
named after the early film actress.Fay enticed
me to begin photographing her although I had been
reluctant since Man Ray's deathShe possessed
amazing confidence. - W.W.

• A certain Smile, 1994 Paw, 1993

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Wegman and the Polaroid 20 x 24 camera

• In 1979 Wegman was invited by Polaroid
  Corporation to try out a new camera in
• Boston, the Polaroid 20x24. This was not
  something one could buy in a store.
• Designed specifically to take actual size
  portraits, Wegman found this camera
• surprising and soon became addicted to it. He
  considered it a whole new way of
• working, and closer to video with its instant
  replay capability.
• I stopped making video when I began to use this
  camera in 1979. My black and
• white photographs became altered photographs. My
  drawing opened up, I
• accepted all sorts of media into the category,
  including collage. Eventually I
• started painting. All because of Polaroid.

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Wegmans work may appear to be all fun and games,
but to him, its serious stuff.

• When I put that dress on Fay she
• would appear to be standing. That made
• the power of that image, the
• anthropomorphic image, more assertive
• and less silly, less like you're ridiculing
• someone. I'm very very cautious about
• appearing to make fun of a creature,
• human or animal.
• I had a strong preconceived aversion to
• anthropomorphism. I despise beer ads. Man
• Ray's transfigurations involved other
• creatures a frog, bat, elephant, and
• seldom as a person. Dressing animals
• usually appears ridiculous. But, there was
• nothing clownish or demeaning about Fay, a
• little eerie maybe, but not silly.
• - William Wegman

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Wegman now works with Battina, Chundo, Crooky,
and Chip

• Battina (Batty) is comic, sexy and innocent.
• Chundo was named after a gentle giant Wegman met
  on a trip to Chile.
• Crooky is a bit of a devil. She now lives in
  Maine, but the two continue to work
• together.
• Chip is the easiest to work with among Battys
  pups.

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Sources

• www.wegmanworld.com
• http//www.marquette.edu/haggerty/exhibitions/past
  /wegman.html
• http//www.pbs.org/art21/artists/wegman/
• http//dir.salon.com/people/bc/2000/02/08/wegman/i
  ndex.html