Some More Dogs

Pamela and David Hornik are pleased to announce Some More Dogs: Highlights from the Hornik Collection, an exhibition that revels in the delightful universe of dog art. On view from September 29-October 12 at Four One Nine in San Francisco, the exhibition celebrates a widely beloved subject—humankinds’ best friend—while exploring the Hornik’s wide-ranging and eclectic collection. The Horniks are avid art lovers, collectors, and supporters, with a dedication to the belief that art is good for the soul and should be readily available to everyone. Some More Dogs is inspired by their shared passions for art and for dogs, bringing their delightful collection of dog-related art to the public. Spanning an array of media, the collection includes works by emerging, mid-career, and blue-chip artists, offering a diverse cross-section of artistic voices. The exhibition features works by a range of contemporary artists, including Arleene Correa Valencia, Liz Hernandez, Reniel del Rosario, Joan Jonas, Rosemarie Trockel, Jenna Gribbon, Ruth Asawa, Amanda Ba, Oscar yi Hou, and Samuel Olayombo, among many others. While playful and deeply personal, the exhibition also teases out the seriousness and depth of the Horniks’ collection, pointing to recurring themes that have emerged over years of acquisition — a desire to embrace a broadly diverse universe of artists and subjects, always balanced with the whimsy and joy inherent in the universe in which they inhabit. Visitors to the exhibition will be greeted by a monumental painting by Rae Klein of a gloriously over-coiffed dog set against a bold red background. “White Dog” announces both the museum-scale seriousness of the exhibition and the humor of the collection. Upon entering the main gallery, an element of the personal is present: a tender portrait of the Hornik’s beloved dog Teddy at age twelve-and-a-half in all his street dog glory. The exhibition will unfold across three thematic sections: portraits of artists’ own dogs; humans and dogs; and dogs as a vehicle for exploring conceptualism and materiality. The first section includes a wide selection of artists’ loving portrayals of their dogs in an array of media, capturing the “studio dog” as a muse, comfort, and constant presence. Even for artists who do not typically work in this medium or style, the allure of “portraiture” to lovingly capture their own dogs is unavoidable. Among the highlights are a tiny crayon drawing of Ruth Asawa’s dog Henry, an ink drawing of Joan Jonas’s childhood dog, and a new commission for the show, a work by Dominique Fung of her dog Gucci. While Gucci is Fung’s constant companion in the studio, he has not previously appeared in Fung’s work. “This is the first time I’ve turned my gaze toward him, making him the subject,” said Fung. “In doing so, I realized how much of his subtle presence is in all my works.” From this intimate portrayal of artists’ companions, the exhibition moves on to introduce the human figures into the frame. Across strikingly different works, a consistent composition emerges: humans embracing their canine counterparts—holding their dogs, reclining with them, entwined in moments of intimacy. These poses often echo art-historical mother-and-child imagery, underscoring the emotional depth of these bonds. Among the highlights in this section are paintings by Bernadette Despujols, Gisela McDaniel, and Oscar Yi Hou, who depicts the artist Sasha Gordon with her dog. In the final section of the exhibition the lens shifts once more. Here, dogs become vehicles for exploring conceptualism and materiality—these works are as much about art itself as they are about their canine subjects. Works by Amanda Ba, David Shrobe, Maia Cruz Palileo, and Amy Bravo, among others, investigate the dog through paint, collage, found objects, and mixed media. While the collection invites serious thematic and art-historical readings, the joy it generates is unmistakable. These works have a way of sparking smiles, conversations, and connections. And therein lies the sole “purpose” of this exhibition. Smile. Converse. Connect. If the Horniks had wanted you to wallow in the deep psychological underpinnings of the subject matter and the fraught lives of the contemporary artists who captured them, they would have collected art of cats.

Event Links

Website: https://go.evvnt.com/3293410-0

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