This body of work focuses on capturing the presence of dogs through the indexical traces they leave in the world – an approach that examines how these beings inscribe their existence into both physical and conceptual space. The layered construction of these works mirrors our own attempts to understand another sentient being: just as an artwork reveals itself through multiple strata of meaning, so too does our understanding of a dog unfold through successive layers of engagement.

While we recognise dogs as individuals, we often struggle to allow them their full animal nature, constrained as we are by our human perspective. Though we may never truly know what it is like to be a dog, the attempt to bridge this gulf of understanding drives my work. Through documenting their traces and marking their presence, we inch closer to comprehending their way of being in the world.

Deborah Williams 2025