We’re always on the lookout for the best art gifts for creative friends, so we checked in with photographer Daniel Gebhart de Koekkoek, whose annual themed calendar always brings us joy, and usually a few chuckles (previous editions have involved pin-up guinea pigs, jumping cats and domesticated alpacas).
He tells us more about his 2023 calendar’s dog theme, which is a curation of pet photographer Ren Netherland’s hair-raising dog portraits.
Wallpaper*: How on earth did this happen?
Daniel Gebhart de Koekkoek: Luckily things like this find me like a magnet. Or it's the spooky social media AI that can read my mind. Ren has been shooting at grooming events for decades and when I first found his images, I reached out to him within a minute. After spending several days in his everlasting archive I finally decided on the best 12 dogs to make us happy in 2023.
W*: Which dog do you most see yourself in and why?
DG: I think it's the dog of May. His motto is ‘Just do it’ – that's also how I like to do it. Overthinking mostly destroys my creative process, so I need to act quickly.
W*: What dog month are you looking forward to most?
DG: Maybe November. He is just sooo cute and I would love to give him a big hug anytime I see him.
W*: What can we learn from these creatures?
DG: They had a lot of patience and trust in their owners when getting their hair done. I guess it's because of their loyalty and [how they] take care of each other. This is something we should also do more.
W*: What do the dogs think about all this?
DG: Ren told me about how proud the dogs have been and how caring their owners are to them. He told me they are living their best dog lives ever and get treated like gods.
W*: Who does their hair? Can they do our hair?
DG: It’s a strong creative grooming scene that specialises in that. I'm sure they can do your hair too!
W*: What will 2023 bring for you and the dogs?
DG: Here I would like to quote the back cover of the calendar:
‘Whilst the world is in shambles, we have great news for you: positive energy will guide you through 2023. Repeat after me: this new year is a gift to myself and my possibilities are endless.’
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