Howling Dog by Erik Pirolt
Erik Pirolt (b. Norway, Oslo, 1977). Educated at the Academy of Fine Arts in Trondheim and Oslo. Pirolt has experience with a number of different projects. These include treehouse art and bizarre sculptures full of humour both humour and existential anxiety.
The large dog in polished steel is placed on a high plinth on the bank of the Glomma River outside KUSK (Kongsvinger High School). The dog is tall and clearly visible. The steel has been polished a number of times so that the surface appears highly polished. The surface reflects the surroundings of the sculpture. This effect is a central part of the artwork.
Different seasons, light and weather will determine what we see. We, as viewers, become part of the whole. The reflections that arise are temporary and distorted. Pirolt wants the sculpture to be easy to perceive. The construction helps us to interpret it ourselves. The artwork becomes a characteristic of the place by allowing us to associate our own experiences with it. However, there is still a question that remains. The dog has raised its head to the sky and howls. Why does it do that?
The fact that the dog turns towards the sky may suggest something spiritual, religious or perhaps universal. Wergeland wrote it in poetry, in the poem "Myself"; "There is kinship between the soul and the stars."
Read more about the entire art project the sculpture is part of here
Source: Visit Øst-Norge
Howling Dog by Erik Pirolt