Charlotte Dumas

Charlotte Dumas (Vlaardingen, 1977) has held numerous solo exhibitions at venues throughout the world, including Museum De Pont, Tilburg; The Photographers’ Gallery, London; Gallery 916, Tokyo; Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington DC; FO.KU.S., Innsbruck; Foam Fotografiemuseum, Amsterdam; and the Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam.
The notion that the state of humanity can be read and studied by the way we relate to animals is a vital thread in Dumas work. Her choice of subject relates directly to the way we use, co-exist with, and define specific animals, assigning various symbolisms to them as well as our own personal reflections. It is her belief that the disappearance of the actual presence of animals, as given in our society, greatly affects how we experience life and, for example, our ability to be empathetic with one another. Dumas has been observing different animals, mostly horses and dogs, within specific positions for over a decade. She is particularly interested in the complexity of how we define value when it comes to animals as well as how we attribute value to ourselves and others. The context of her subjects is what defines each subject.