#abramopug

[marinaabramopug]

To commemorate the life of Marina Abramopug, we’re featuring a retrospective of her work, including behind-the-scenes documentation and commentary, culminating in the world premiere of The Life and Death of Marina Abramopug.

Recreating Rest Energy was simple enough; I hot glued the arrow to the bow, and then to Ken who was kind enough to play Ulay for this one. Then it was just a matter of finding the right angle.  Feel free to interpret the two fingers below Marina’s armpit however you like.  If I had all the money in the world, I would have sourced a permed mullet dog wig, but alas this was always a low-budget project.

[marinaabramopug]

To commemorate the life of Marina Abramopug, we’re featuring a retrospective of her work, including behind-the-scenes documentation and commentary, culminating in the world premiere of The Life and Death of Marina Abramopug.

Recreating Relation in Time was far more challenging than Marina’s debut work, Artist is Present because it involved not one, but two pugs which obviously made sitting still less attractive to Nigel.  My friend, actor/comedian Fliss Russell brought her beautiful pug Leeloo over, and through trial and error we finally got the shot we wanted by each holding a treat either side of the frame.  Even this was tricky because one or the other would swivel around to check out the other one’s treat, plus there were many wrestling breaks, which I believe the human version didn’t include, to its detriment.

[marinaabramopug]

To commemorate the life of Marina Abramopug, we’re featuring a retrospective of her work, including behind-the-scenes documentation and commentary, culminating in the world premiere of The Life and Death of Marina Abramopug.

Although we couldn’t recreate The Onion fully, as onions are toxic to dogs, I think Abramopug captured the angst of the original.  It was a very simple photoshoot, so there aren’t many outtakes, but I love the disdainful side-eye in this one.

[marinaabramopug]

To commemorate the life of Marina Abramopug, we’re featuring a retrospective of her work, including behind-the-scenes documentation and commentary, culminating in the world premiere of The Life and Death of Marina Abramopug.

We attempted to recreate Imponderabilia but I wasn’t happy with the results, so I never posted it.  I couldn’t get Nigel and Leeloo to gaze straight ahead; they would stare intensely at the treat.  If I lowered it to get them to lower their gaze, one of them would go for it and ruin the shot.  Pugs will be pugs.  

Apologies for censoring the human version; Tumblr classified it as ‘adult content.’  I have added a portrait of Marina reclining, genitals on full display, to compensate.

[marinaabramopug]

To commemorate the life of Marina Abramopug, we’re featuring a retrospective of her work, including behind-the-scenes documentation and commentary, culminating in the world premiere of The Life and Death of Marina Abramopug.

The House with the Ocean View was unsurprisingly shot in my dimly lit studio flat on an IKEA Billy bookshelf with the support studs poorly photoshopped out.  I got a funny look from the cashier at Argos buying so many cheap knives.

Coincidentally, the work captures the spirit of lockdown rather well.

[marinaabramopug]

The posthumous release of the final performance by Marina Abramopug: ‘The Life and Death of Marina Abramopug’ (2018) Human version for reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDqNpa-GU4Y

[marinaabramopug]

Marina Abramopug, The Onion, 2016

[marinaabramopug]

Marina Abramopug, The House with the Ocean View, 2016