Photographer William Wegman's Old Dogs Learn New Tricks
It's known that a dog is a man's best friend. William Wegman goes a step further and captures a picturesque side of humanity with the help of his Weimaraner, Man Ray.

William Wegman: Being Human, published by Chronicle Books 2017
William Wegman shares a compilation of over three decades of portraits of his Weimaraner, beloved best friend, and artistic collaborator Man Ray and later on, Fay Ray. Being Human includes more than 300 photos that depict a closer look into the lens of Wegman's witty, humanist eye to his subjects.
Wegman began this artistic journey in anthropomorphizing his dogs in the 1970s. He was strongly influenced by Man Ray and his deadpan appearance. However, unlike Man Ray, Wegman juxtaposes the deadpan with vibrant colors and beautifully lit sets to capture his subjects. Wegman divides his body of work into 16 themed chapters, each chapter showcases a different layer of Wegman's thought process.
These gems represent Wegman's relationship with the surreal as he playfully comments on the characteristics that make us human. It has become second nature to capture the effortless and intriguing portraits in the worlds he has created. All images were captured on a Polariod 20x24 camera and developed in color.

lonian (2005)
William Wegman: Being Human, published by Chronicle Books 2017

Dressed for Ball (1988)
William Wegman: Being Human, published by Chronicle Books 2017

Lighting Director (2002)
William Wegman: Being Human, published by Chronicle Books 2017

On the Way (1995)
William Wegman: Being Human, published by Chronicle Books 2017

Oarsman (2001)
William Wegman: Being Human, published by Chronicle Books 2017

Leopard Zebra (1981)
William Wegman: Being Human, published by Chronicle Books 2017

Contact (2014)
William Wegman: Being Human, published by Chronicle Books 2017

The Deal with The Surreal
William Wegman: Being Human, published by Chronicle Books 2017

Uphill (1990)
William Wegman: Being Human, published by Chronicle Books 2017

Perhaps Religious (2004)
William Wegman: Being Human, published by Chronicle Books 2017

Upside Downward (2006)
William Wegman: Being Human, published by Chronicle Books 2017
William Wegman is currently exhibiting portraits from his Being Human series at Sperone Westwater.
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