Release Date: 27/08/2008
The Art Service’s current artist in residence is staging a Dog Day to trace surviving relatives of previous canine residents of Orleans House Gallery.
Dog Day will also be an occasion to celebrate the dogs that currently frequent the grounds, with local dog owners, experts and walkers invited to join in.
Going back as far as the 1700s, artist Emma Smith is appealing for information on the whereabouts of the descendants of a number of dogs that were based at the Gallery.
Any one who believes their dog to be a successor of one of the previous dogs of the Gallery is urged to take part. Historic residing pooches include Secretary Johnston’s bulldogs, immortalised in a poem by Alexander Pope and in the 1724 sculptures “Dog and bitch”, now exhibited at the Musee Conde, Chantilly, France.
The event on Saturday 30 August will start in the morning with a Grand Dog Walk of the Gallery’s grounds, followed by a portrait session to capture the current dogs of Orleans and a Dog Consultation with dog owners who might own the progeny of historic barking tenants.
Missing posters will also be displayed around the borough to advertise the search.
Cllr Liz Jaeger, Cabinet Member for Youth, Culture and Leisure on Richmond Council, said:
“Emma has worked with the Art Service before and has been widely exhibited in a number of London galleries.
“Her talent, reputation and experience of working with a wide group of community groups, as well as her knowledge of the site, gallery and collection made her the perfect candidate as artist in residence.
“Orleans House’s new artists in residency programme aims to enhance the Gallery’s heritage whilst providing the opportunity for groundbreaking new art.”
Artist Emma Smith said:
“Orleans House has an incredibly rich history and, as a gallery, sustains a huge breadth of activity and programming. This makes it a really exciting venue to respond to.
"As artist in residence at the gallery I have had the great opportunity to work with members of the local community whose knowledge and expertise have contributed to and informed my work.”
Emma Smith has been working as artist in residence at Orleans House Gallery since July. Her residency, which has been supported by Arts Council England, is due to end in September and will be followed by an exhibition in November.
Moira Sinclair, Executive Director of Arts Council England, London, added:
"This residency offers the opportunity for people to reflect on the long history of Orleans House through personal interaction with art.
“Art has the power to make us view things in new and exciting ways, and the people of Richmond will be able to reflect on and enjoy the area’s grand and regal past.”
The artist has already hosted a number of events, such as a re-match of an Australian vs. Orleans cricket game played on site in 1878; an Explorer Pack Launch Day; a River Expedition; and a Staff Banquet re-enacting a banquet held 279 years ago to the day.
For further media information please contact Francesca Pompili on 020 8487 5049.