BEST IN SHOW

BEST IN SHOW


CREDITS

GUP Author

GUP TEAM


Artist

Karan Vaid

Karan Vaid has a long history with dog shows in his home country of India. Memories of traveling—sometimes for days at a time—in the cold of winter between two dogs in the backseat of his parents’ car, has lead him to revive his interest in the quirky sub-culture. For his series Best in Show, Vaid photographed the dog shows around India for the last two years, offering a look at their contemporary pomp and circumstance.

Dog shows in India have a rich and storied history, with the first show held in 1896. They later flourished under the patronage of the English aristocracy and subsequently the Maharajas. These niche events give breeders and enthusiasts a chance to show off their pedigree hounds, and result in dog owners spending huge sums of money on training, grooming and transporting their prized pets. With few financial rewards unless you are at the top of the dog show world, the culture is highly competitive, with everyone vying to become the next top dog.

Vaid documents the pageantry from an insider’s view while also engaging with its aspects of absurdity. With bright colours and lighting, he makes use of a kind of tabloid reporting style, emphasising the celebrity scene behind these shows. Though focusing on the Indian dog shows, Vaid’s series speaks also to a more universal relationship between man and ‘man’s best friend’. He reveals a diverse and complex interaction, with elements of ownership, co-dependency, objectification and affection all making
appearances.