People tend to think the fine arts can only be enjoyed humans, but there’s no reason that high-minded canines can’t put on their fancy pants once in a while to enjoy the finer things in life. Artistic expression is creative, stimulating, and emotional, and dogs are really good at understanding emotions. In fact, dogs are often the inspiration for artists to create amazing works. Maybe we should consider that our pups might want to join us the next time we visit an art show or a performance because they might get something out of the experience, too. Here are seven times the fine arts were for the dogs.
1. A Theater Full Of Dogs
Wes Anderson’s highly artistic films may be a bit dry for some humans, but the dogs who attended a screening of the director’s stop motion picture Isle of Dogs in San Francisco had a great time visiting the theater and meeting other pooches. Dog owners were allowed to bring their companions to the movie theater which hosts the traveling New York Dog Film Festival, a celebration of dog-themed films that travels the country, encouraging dog owners to bring their pups to the movies for screenings while also spreading the word about local animal welfare groups.
Many of the dogs got to pose on the red carpet before entering the theater, and even though they all got their own seats, many of the pups were too excited to sit still, and some were too light to keep the seats from folding up. Despite the mishaps, everyone had a great time, and the event also spread the word about Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, which helps promote adoption for senior dogs. The pooches got a night out and enjoyed a good movie, and it helped a good cause.
2. Dog Concert In Times Square
You might think a concert would frighten dogs and hurt their ears, but artist Laurie Anderson designed a special performance in Times Square just for pups. Dogs braved cold weather with their humans to get out and enjoy some music projected at low decibels, perfect for sensitive doggy ears, and the pups got priority seating, front and center. Humans wore headphones to catch the high notes without disturbing their pooches.
Laurie Anderson played her first concert for dogs at the Sydney Opera House in 2010, but this performance was a little bit on the chilly side. Anderson played her instruments with bare hands in the bitter cold, and even encouraged the doggy audience to bark along. The night ended with a clip from Anderson’s documentary Heart of a Dog, which deals with loss and love, especially the love of her dog Lolabelle. Sounds like the pups had a lovely concert with their humans.
3. Contemporary Canine Art
Artist Dominic Wilcox wanted to create an art exhibit just for dogs, which is what inspired his “Play More” art gallery that opened in London for two days. The show featured plenty of art pieces that dogs were free to touch, sniff, and interact with. There was a car ride simulator complete with fans, water bowls that spit water from one bowl to the next, and a giant dog bowl full of kibble-like balls for pups to jump in.
Wilcox said his goal was to encourage dog owners to play with their pets more, and he hoped that his show would help stimulate the doggy visitors mentally and physically. From the looks on all the happy pups’ faces, it seems like they had a great time and got a lot out of his art.
4. Guide Dog Puppies Visit The Orchestra
If you’re going to train puppies to become guide dogs, you may as well do it in style. A group of Labrador puppies being fostered by the Eyes For Tomorrow Puppy Club visited the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra as part of their training. The goal was to allow the orchestra to rehearse and to get the dogs used to sitting comfortably while being surrounded by unfamiliar noises in a new environment.
The pups must have appreciated the show because they performed very well. A few of them got distracted, but it was mostly by other dogs and pockets full of treats. The orchestra members didn’t hear any barks, just a few jangling collars. Looks like these good dogs are going to make great companions for concert-goers in the future.
5. Dogs Allowed At The Art Gallery
Buzzfeed brought a group of rescue dogs to an art exhibit where they had an amazing time. Some of the exhibits include a wall with rope toys to play tug-of-war, a chamber of affirmation where a screen tells pups that they’re good dogs, hand sculptures filled with dog food, a golden toilet water fountain, and the piece that the dogs loved the most, a giant bone made of peanut butter. It certainly made these pups’ day to enjoy some fun and yummy art.
6. Sneaking Into The Orchestra
Sometimes even when dogs aren’t allowed, they still manage to sneak in and enjoy the fine arts. That’s what happened when a stray dog wandered into an orchestra concert in Turkey. The Vienna Chamber Orchestra was in mid-performance when the pup took the stage, strolled over to the violin section, and lied down in the best seat in the house.
The violinist seemed happy to have the furry intruder next to him, and the audience was thrilled, too. The dog got a thunderous round of applause, and Turkish pianist and composer Fazil Say said it was the, “Cutest moment in classical music.” I couldn’t agree more.
7. Comedy For Dogs
It sometimes takes a sophisticated mind to understand the comedy of Steve Martin, which may be why he decided to do a stand-up routine specifically for dogs on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He even brought along his own audience of four canines to listen to his jokes, and it made for some unexpected and hilarious moments. At least one of the dogs seemed pretty interested in what he had to say, but since dogs don’t really laugh the way we humans do, it’s hard to tell if they found the act funny. However, as far as I know, there aren’t too many stand-up comedy acts just for dogs, so this may be the most successful dog stand-up routine ever. Maybe more comedians should give pooch-oriented jokes a try.
Has your dog ever seen good art? What other kinds of art pieces and performances have you seen dogs enjoy? Let us know in the comments below?
