The return of playful Czech Pes Photo
Recently on Radio Prague we reported on the Czechs as a nation of dog-lovers: Ruth Fraňková reported about many peoples’ affection for our four-legged friends. Well, this week, in the Czech capital, many dog fans came into their own, with the return of Czech Pes Photo (Czech Dog Photo), which opened at Prague’s Josef Sudek Chamber Gallery on Tuesday. The show, now in its fourth year, parodies the prestigious Czech press photography competition known as Czech Press Photo. Traditionally it is put together by respected dog photographer Antonín Malý, and not surprisingly features images of dogs - that’s right, dogs - in all kinds of situations.
At the opening I caught up with the head of the Josef Sudek Chamber Gallery Daniela Mrázková:
“We are now in our fourth year of Czech Dog Photo and it’s really very popular. The show is put together by well-known photographer Antonín Malý, who began in advertising and landscape photography, but got his own dogs and became a dog photographer. The show features work by him as well as by friends, and I can now tell you we get a many visitors each year in advance asking about the show. I think that every Czech really loves dogs. But of course it’s not just a Czech speciality: it’s international.”
Antonín Malý is famous for his images of dogs, including his own, Míša and Cecilia, the first a French mastiff, the second an American bulldog. At times, his pictures capture both in action, flying through the air, maws wide, jowls flapping. Antonín Malý:
“Most of the dogs featured in the show are the most horrible-looking ones including mine! Míša and Cecilia are really quite silly sometimes. Cecilia’s really fat and when you see her sitting back on the couch with her belly, well it’s kind of pathetic. I guess that I choose dogs which visually have a bit more personality: flat-snout dogs with lots of skin or overhanging flaps, who look like they just got punched in the nose, are good for this kind of thing. The pictures are supposed to be funny, so the dogs have to have some kind expression.”
The photographer admits that dogs weren’t his first professional interest but have become so since:
“It’s true that we always had dogs around the house and I did take some reportage shots but increasingly dog photography became my main focus. Simply put, there are some situations that ask to be shot.”
Many of the photographer’s earlier shots were done in B&W, and then hand-painted. Later Mr Malý moved to digital photography; regarding digital, he says he certainly doesn’t shy away from new techniques. One of Malý’s more famous images is a digital collage, Czech Pes Tek, parodying a now infamous clash between Czech youth and riot police. Daniela Mrázková again:
“I love the digital collage known as Czech Pes Tek. Some years ago in this country we had Czech Tek, which was an open-air music festival where young people fought against the police. It was really an event. A few days later he brought us the photo and we gave this collage as a gift to our politicians. And we were very surprised by their reaction: they were smiling. Later we saw Czech Pes Tek in their offices.”
Daniela Mrázková’s own dog, Bára, has also been photographed by Malý, which she makes clear was a real privilege. She has had the opportunity to see the photographer in action, and says while some might think photographing animals isn’t all that difficult, the opposite is true.
“I don’t think that it’s very easy because you really have to know how to approach the animal. My own dog, a female boxer called Bara, she’s so happy when she sees HIM. She’s happier than when she sees ME! So, there must be something in the photographer!”
Antonín Malý:
“All dogs are different, even if they’re the same breed. Each has a different personality, different intelligence, so yes, you can say that they’re unique and have something like a soul.”
For his part, the photographer says he is happy to work with all kinds of different breeds, in all kinds of situations. For Czech Pes Photo, he even sought out the Czech Guide Dog School, famous for the training of Seeing Guide Dogs. He shot numerous portraits of the animals for charity. The centre’s head Hana Jasenovcová, along with two of the centre’s guide dogs-in-training, also attended the show.
“Antonín Malý has a big heart and a love for dogs but also people and he sought us out and offered to take some pictures for us, portraits of our dogs, including two I have here with me, Urika and Darinka. He offered those photos for auction to raise money for us in September and has agreed to work on our calendar for next year. So we look forward to cooperating with him.”
Not all people appreciate dog photography but most visitors should find something fun in Czech Pes Photo. Besides, work by Antonín Malý, the show also features work of famous 20th century photographers like Václav Chochola, or the more recent Jan Saudek. Czech Pes Photo continues at the Josef Sudek Chamber gallery through July and August.
