Pet Project

It's the amazing amount of attitude that strikes you first, with a look of all-too-human contempt emanating from the face of a... yellow and green parakeet. Philip Gatward's Pedigree series of photographs are some of the most fabulous things I've seen in a long time, absolutely breathtaking, with a wicked sense of humor. Tongue In Chic, if you would.
Gatward takes everyday domestic pets -Italian Greyhounds and parakeets, specifically -but shoots them as if he were doing formal human portraits. Set against simple gray backgrounds, they suddenly gain an air of nobility, like revered ancestors... or at least pompous old New York socialites. The result is both strikingly sleek and endlessly amusing. The greyhounds in the series evoke the more common use of the 'pedigree' title, so terribly sympatico with the passive appeal typical of canines. People relate to dogs really easily, and their faces bring "Protective Pet Owner" feelings bubbling up to the surface. But it's the Budgie series that's a revelation. Beyond the gorgeous colors, when viewed close up and larger than life, who knew parakeets had such human expressions, and not necessarily the pleasant ones their brilliant plumage might imply? Bright feathered crests all puffed up like pompadours, these colorful birds suddenly transform into society matrons or the rich uncle you can't stand but whose social tortures you endure lest they take you out of their will.
The prints come in two sizes, printed with archival inks on matte, textured paper, with limited editions of 50. A 12" X 16" signed unframed print is £195.00, a 17" X 23" signed, unframed print goes for £400.00. The colors are gloriously saturated, even moreso than on your monitor, which is normally brighter than print can manage. To inquire and see the entire Pedigree collection, or even to commission shots of your own beloved pets, go to PhilipGatward.co.uk.