Domestic dog walkers showcased in portraits of suburban life

11 November 2014 - 14:15 By Staff reporter
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You may think it's an urban legend, that rich folk ask their domestic workers and gardeners to walk their pet pooches. But photographer Marc Shoul took to the streets of Johannesburg for a quirky photo essay of these middle class dog walkers.

Explaining his motivation, Shoul says on his website that: "A few months back, a friend of mine looking for a domestic posted an advert on Facebook. One of the job requirements involved walking the dachshunds three times a week. I was astounded, but also not".

Tongue-in-cheek, he adds :"People in Johannesburg are not only lazy; they are busy, really busy, with work, with home improvements, with kids, with car payments, with groceries, with holiday escapes – with the guilt of not walking the dog".

Apart from its social commentary on suburban life, Shoul hopes his photo essay shows "love: that of pet owners, dog walkers, and the dogs themselves, whose love is sometimes abundant, their enthusiasm straining the leash that confines".

His portraits, entitled Dog Walkers, is commissioned by the Joburg Photo Umbrella 2014 and is part of SA-UK Seasons 2014 & 2015, which is a partnership between the Department of Arts & Culture, South Africa and the British Council.

Shoul is doing a "living installation" of his work by putting up posters of his images on street poles close or exactly where he photographed the walkers.

"I've noticed so far that one of the posters has been nicked or taken down (since Sunday), which is cool 'cos it's all about putting it out there for everyone to see and interact with, specially the walkers themselves," he says.

Billed as a 'daylight open air exhibition', the work will be on show until November 30. To highlight the exhibit, a Dog Walkers Cycle Tour will be held on Sunday. The cycle will depart from the entrance to the Johannesburg Zoo at 2.30pm. The route ends in Norwood.

For the record, Shoul does not have a dog.

You can find out more about the SA-UK Seasons 2014 & 2015 here and the Joburg Photo Umbrella here

 

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