Ping poses with her dog sculptures (made from graphite), which are on display at her debut solo show 'Dog Days' at Harta Space in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: Harta Space
As the pandemic collided with the start of her journey into the art world, newcomer artist Ping had only one option for practising her sketches and sculptures: her faithful pet dog became her go-to model.
For months during the lockdown days, the 29-year-old found herself at home, observing and capturing moments of her Rottweiler-Beagle mix, named Ampersand.
Like most pet owners, Ping eventually began to wonder how her dog (which she adopted seven years ago) perceived the world and what it thought of its human companions.
This became the backdrop for her debut solo exhibition, Dog Days, which is currently showing at the Harta Space gallery in Ampang, Selangor until Aug 20.
"In the process of sketching my dog doing mostly ordinary things, I started to notice some of its stranger behaviours, like randomly licking an empty spot on the floor or barking at the wall for no apparent reason," said Ping, who usually works in sculpture, painting, and new media, using symbolism and subtle humor to explore thoughts, expectations, and the hidden elements shaping our subjective experiences.
'Dog Days is about the black dog as a metaphor for depression. I have chosen to depict instances of peculiar canine behaviour that I have observed in my own dog to explore what 'strangeness' means,' says Ping. Photo: Harta Space
"Then I contemplated on whether those behaviours were strange to me because I'm a human, or if it would be strange even to a stray dog," she added.
Ping, an accounting and finance graduate from Australia and a fine arts diploma holder from a Selangor art school, found her muse in Ampersand as she embarked on creating this exhibition.
Dog Days, supported by art outfit Studio Sayang, showcases 10 sculpture pieces and six oil paintings, all reflecting Ping's keen observations of daily life with a domestic pet.
In the Needs Must series, Ping captures the playful spirit of her dog Ampersand during their walks.
A sculpture titled 'Concerned First Party' explores the reactions of dogs to their reflections in a mirror. Photo: Harta Space
A glimpse of her sculpture Concerned First Party reveals how some dogs, especially puppies, might think the mirror reflects another dog, while others recognise their own image and find it intriguing.
Elsewhere, the sculpture Self-Doubt and the oil painting That Which You Seek explore darker, more introspective themes, reflecting the artist's inner mood.
"This exhibition is also my way of talking about my mental state, expressing uncertainties and doubts that I had, so there is still that introspective connection," she said.
The dog sculptures in this exhibition, crafted from Ping's preferred graphite, also challenge the stigma and myths surrounding black dogs, often seen as symbols of depression or bad luck.
A view of Ping's sculpture 'Self-Doubt' and oil painting 'That Which You Seek' in the 'Dog Days' exhibition. Photo: Harta Space
Looking back at history, she points out that Sir Winston Churchill, who experienced periods of mental ill-health, referred to his moods as the "black dog."
As Ping started shaping her exhibition through painting and sculpting, she also began to explore and study the symbolism and interpretations of black dogs. This deeper investigation provided her with a richer understanding and new perspectives.
"After a lot of research on this phenomenon, I found that this negative view of the black dog is seen throughout history and across different cultures – the "familiar" of the Salem witches, Egyptians with Anubis (God of funerary practices), Greek mythology with the three-headed beast Cerberus, and even in China with 'Tiangou', a dog-like creature, which is thought to eat the sun or moon during an eclipse," she explained.
Some of these folk tales eventually became widely accepted, to the point where they can even deter people from adopting black dogs from shelters.
"I aimed to raise awareness through these artworks, hoping that visitors will confront and reconsider their own perceptions of the black dog," she concluded.
Ping's Dog Days is showing at Harta Space, Level 1, Habib 2 in Ampang, Selangor until Aug 20.
