Who said bald isn’t beautiful? One of our favourite photographers, Sophie Gamand (she brought us Flower Power Pit Bills and Wet Dog), was so intrigued by the ‘naked’ canine form that she has dedicated her new project Prophecy, entirely to hairless dogs.
“The physical qualities of hairless dogs and the mystery surrounding them inspired me to create a gallery of faces like old wise men or philosophers, shamans from a different era, maybe a different universe,” says Gamand.
The series focuses on two major hairless breeds: the Chinese Crested and the Xoloitzcuintli (or Mexican hairless dog), as well as some mixed hairless dogs. Gamand worked with private breeders and rescues including Bald is Beautiful and Bare Paws Rescue to find her hairless hounds.
The idea at the centre of the project is man’s role as manipulator and engineer, in creating dogs for our own desires. “Whether it is to perform tasks for us or simply for companionship, humans have subdued an entire specie for their own needs, alleviating their deep sense of solitude. In a way, dogs are the first example – and the most striking one – of Man acting like a god towards Nature. This series is a reminder that playing God with Nature often comes with consequences and a price to pay, sooner or later.”
See more of Sophie Gamand’s photography at sophiegamand.com
