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Grocery shoppers/art critics give dog mixed reviews
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| By: Matthew Roy |
October 09, 2002 |
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| Downtown Express photo by Quyen Tran Tribecas dog sculpture seems to be more popular with children.
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The dog sits outside the Food Emporium near the corner of Greenwich and Harrison Sts. as if waiting for its owner to finish buying milk and a loaf of bread. Chained to one of the stores brick columns, it quietly maintains a regal, proud, and attentive posture. Purposeful shoppers stride by and rarely glance in its direction. But children stop and stare, no doubt attracted by the dog's bright tye-dyed appearance, the pot of flowers painted on its shoulder, and the purple and turquoise striped hearts that line its back.
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The statue is one of 300 around the city to honor the World Trade Center rescue and recovery dogs. Grocery store patrons, however, had mixed reviews regarding the statue's aesthetic value.
"It's pretty ugly," said John as he prepared for his bike ride home. "It seems like a pretty odd tribute to me."
"I don't pay much attention to it, but I think it's a good idea," one woman shopper said.
"I like it," said Larry, who lives in Tribeca. "I think it's kind of cool. It reminds me of the cows....The colors are wild, I like the flowers and the hearts on it. It's definitely appropriate for Tribeca."
"It's nice, all the kids seem to like him," said another male shopper.
All agreed, however, that it was appropriate to recognize the invaluable work of the dogs, five of whom lost their lives in the rescue effort.
The temporary art project, the American Kennel Club DOGNY Public Art Program, began in August in various public spaces throughout the city. The statues' purpose is both to honor the 300 dogs and handlers who traveled from as far away as Washington, California, Texas, and Utah to participate in rescue missions associated with the events of Sept. 11, and to raise money to benefit canine search and rescue organizations throughout the country
Each individual sculpture was sponsored by a patron and painted by an independent artist. The artist of the statue outside the Food Emporium, which sits just blocks away from ground zero, is Ron Burns. His name is inscribed on a plaque at the base of the statue below the phrase, "In Dog We Trust."
Larry likes the cause as well as the sculpture. "I think its a good way of honoring the dogs and it reminds you of the police and fire departments and everyone who was involved in the rescue effort."
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