It’s Raining Cats Vs. Dogs: A Surrealist Pop Exhibition

By Molly Richards (she/her)

Pretty Ugly: Cats VS Dogs - Te Auaha Gallery 23.06-03.07

This week (at the time of writing) I was fortunate enough to catch the last day of the pop surrealist group Pretty Ugly’s Cats Vs. Dogs show at Te Auaha Gallery. The range and life in this show was something else. To be honest, I expected no less from an exhibition on the topic. The age-old cats versus dogs face off is a passionate one to be sure. I’m sure many of us have a bias to one or the other. And I’m sure that you can put forth compelling arguments as to why your fur baby is the most precious wee thing in existence. I am no better. I’d say growing up I was always team dogs, but I would chalk this up to never having a cat or kitten. Nope, I’ve been lucky to have had five puppies and certified good doggos in my life thus far (three currently and they are my world).

Back to the matter at hand, no matter the side (if any) you stand on, Pretty Ugly’s Cats Vs. Dogs had some incredible entries that even this long-time dog aunt could appreciate. I was a bit shocked to find myself cheering for team cats, I guess when it comes to art and pets, I have time for all. In hindsight, I do wish I had made time to wander through more art shows.

As a design student myself I am ashamed at how little I visit exhibitions. Personally, I found staring pensively at pictures on a wall frankly, rather dull. HOWEVER, there was no staring blankly at the wall trying to come up with eloquent moderately pretentious responses at Cats Vs. Dogs (not to say there wasn’t anything to say at all). Quite the contrary actually; the visual feast left little room for that blank silence. Models, sculptures, drawings, paintings both digital and traditional, you name it, you’d find it. A melting pot of craft that was quite inspiring and aptly surreal. I’d say the explosion of colour and passion was what really captivated me. It was evident that the passion for team cat or dog (and even sometimes both) was only eclipsed by the talent and care in the work created.

I had left the warmth of my flat that Monday, battled the cold, wet and windy streets of Welly on a mission. I had set out to see the entries of my lecturers and one of our staff designers here at Massive (not so subtle plug, Eden Laing). Regardless, and I am speaking entirely from my own stance here, this show was fun, entertaining, and evocative of the subject matter and consideration of the craft. To get some further insight, I sat down with three of the artists from Pretty Ugly to discuss the show. Tanya Marriot, Garry Buckley and Claire Tobin, all Massey Alumni and lecturers, had some pretty cool works – if I might say so myself. In brief, Cats Vs. Dogs called artists to pick a team (or both) and create an inspired work. Tanya Marriot, who curated the Cats Vs. Dogs show this year, writes that “Pretty Ugly is a group of artistic misfits from Aotearoa who explore satire and cuteness through low-brow and pop-surreal art.” In Pretty Ugly style, this group collective runs a show each year, with a theme that often plays on a sense of duality. Where the artists from all backgrounds “spread the word of endearing characters, childhood nostalgia and popular culture art in everything they make.”

Garry explains that the pop surrealist low brow style is hard to be taken seriously. “Low brow is for the people.” It is evident in this show that its accessibility speaks for itself, but what I found most interesting is that beneath the oftensimplistic surface idea and its fun presentation there is a deeper meaning to be found. Tanya and Garry explained that the Cats Vs. Dogs theme this year was in response to the fact that New Zealand has the highest percentage rate of pet ownership. A rate that went up at the start of the pandemic and so with it ‘post-pandemic pet dumping.’ Some works took a playful and somewhat comical approach, others an adorable display and then again others a darker turn still. What I can say for sure is that no two pieces were the same. I wish I had spent longer just looking, but there’s always next year. If you can’t wait that long, there is always Skullduggery later this year around the spooky season.

I can only encourage you to keep an eye out for more shows like this. Don’t make the same mistakes as me and catch on to the art scene outside of uni so late on, but if you find comfort in that, know it’s not too late! Grab a group of friends, go alone, check out what what’s going on and go. If you need a bribe just know most shows have free wine and cheese so ... do with that what you will. I believe Pocket would have loved this show and how can you argue with the resident cat and art connoisseur?

Pretty Ugly @prettyugly.world

Featuring art by Yoii, T-Wei, Aimee ‘Tokenin’ Cairns, Chippy, Nyssa Skorji, Claire Tobin, Garry Buckley, Michael ‘Malangeo’ Kennedy, Phoebe Morris, Sam Bee, Scott Savage, Stacey Robson, Stacy Wilde, Emily Pritchard, Paige Koedijk, Bo Moore, Andrew Shaw, Eden Laing, Caelan Holt, Tanya Marriott & Tom Robinson