Art Worth Howling About

Dog-themed art by heavy-weight artists make this a must-see exhibition

Robert Chambers 'Sugabus', 2004

The Laumeier Sculpture Park in St. Louis, MO is celebrating the evolving bond we share with our canine compatriots with their “Dog Days of Summer” exhibition featuring modern works by Jeff Koons, William Wegman, and Robert Chambers alongside those of historic painters like Richard Cosway and Charles Hamilton. The centerpiece of the exhibition, though, is Tea Mäkipää's “Not Without My Dog." Situated alongside the nature trail, Mäkipää’s installation offers human-inspired doghouses, a “Treasury of Smells,” and a karaoke spot inviting dogs to howl along with melodies tuned to their frequency.

As one of only two US national museums that allows dogs, the Laumeier’s executive director Marilu Knode realized they had a "perfect opportunity to do something that other museums can’t do. We’re a park, so why don’t we explore what dogs mean to us?” And since more than 20 percent of visitors to the park bring their dogs, the Laumeier is also offering several dog-friendly events inside the gallery as well during the exhibition.

The Dog Days of Summer exhibition runs through Sunday, October 2nd 2011. For museum hours and admission information, visit laumeiersculpturepark.org.

Photo Captions (from top to bottom):

Robert Chambers 'Sugabus', 2004. Bronze, 109 x 109 x 125”. Laumeier Sculpture Park Commission with funds from the Mark Twain Laumeier Endowment Fund. 

Laumeier’s Eric Nauman (left) and Nick Lang construct one of Tea Mäkipää’s six interactive “stations” that are part of her installation at Laumeier titled, 'Not Without My Dog', 2011. Photo by Mike Venso / Laumeier Sculpture Park

Jeff Koons, 'Puppy', 1998. Porcelain, ed. 3000 17 ∏ x 17 x 8”. Photo by Rob McKeever