French-born, New York-based Sophie Gamand (previously at Neatorama) is a gifted fine art photographer who concentrates heavily on the subject of dogs. Sophie's projects don't just skim the surface of adorable appearance, however. Gamand deeply ponders her subject matter and uses her art to make a statement about her observations.
For this series entitled Prophecy, Sophie chose hairless dogs as her focus, specifically two major breeds, the Chinese Crested and the Xoloitzcuintli (Mexican hairless dog). In her discussion of the series on her website, Gamand explains,
"I wanted to explore the unique beauty of hairless dogs who are often mocked or called "ugly." I wanted to look beyond their physical qualities and into their personality and charisma. I wanted to pierce the mystery surrounding them. I had never even touched their skin before.
At the center of my photographic exploration is the idea that dogs have been engineered by men. Through artificial selection, for the past millennia, they have been selected, manipulated genetically, breeds have been created, shaped and trained to fulfill our needs. Whether it is to perform tasks for us or simply for companionship, humans have subdued an entire species for their own needs, alleviating their deep sense of solitude. In a way, dogs are the first example – and 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.For this project I approached private breeders as well as rescue organizations specializing in hairless dogs (such as Bald is Beautiful and Bare Paws Rescue). To learn more about the Xoloitzcuintli, visit the Xolo Club of America's website."
Visit Gamand's website to see the rest of this charming series, and keep up with her projects on social media via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.