THE PROJECT
Scientific evidence proves that dogs respond emotionally and behaviorally to visual stimuli. With animal behavior specialists, we let rescue dogs freely explore an exhibition of different artistic styles at Powerhouse Arts in Brooklyn, NY. Through art, we gave each dog a new way to be seen, beyond their history and beyond the label of “rescue.”
meet the
masterpieces
01
Rudolph
The Figurativist
Male
3 Years Old
A realist who finds beauty in the human form and the truth of everyday life.
02
lupo
The surrealist
Male
3 Years Old
An imaginative soul who sees possibility beyond what is real, ordinary or expected.
03
jojo The abstractionist
Male
5 Years Old
An instinctive spirit drawn to emotion, movement and forms that don’t need explaining.
04
taki
The Figurativist
Male
2 Years Old
An observant soul drawn to familiar forms, expressive faces and stories grounded in reality.
05
yogi
The minimalist
Male
4 Years Old
A calm soul who finds beauty in simplicity, balance and the power
of less.
Rudolph The Figuratist
A realist who finds beauty in the human form and the truth of everyday life.
Male
3 Years Old
3 Years Old
“By letting the dogs look at, respond to and recognise art, we discovered another side of who they are, their curiosity, preferences, quirks and personalities.”
Dr Holly Molinaro, PHD Animal Welfare
Acclimation
Each dog entered with their handler and explored the gallery freely, getting comfortable with the space before observation began.
BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATION
Every dog followed the same route, spending around two minutes at each artwork. The handler introduced each piece once, then remained neutral while the dog responded naturally.
LIVE ASSESSMENT
After the walkthrough, Dr. Molinaro identified the 1–2 artworks that appeared to generate the strongest response. These initial observations were later validated against the full data.
RETURN
Each dog returned to their strongest-response artworks for additional observation.
