Conceptually Absurd: Out Walking the Dog (2000) and Ignore This Building (1998)

Conceptual photography has allowed for a multitude of real, tangible depictions of concepts – that otherwise seem abstruse or elusive – to be conveyed. An abstract idea is transformed into a specific visual form with substance that propels the concept it represents toward the concrete physical world. The images play a pivotal, mediating role in the intersection of language and physical reality. With conceptually-driven de-skilling, Wim Delvoye’s Out Walking the Dog (2000) and David Shrigley’s Ignore This Building (1998) create experiences that are both aesthetically pleasing and psychologically abnormal for the viewer.

Belgian artist Wim Delvoye’s photograph Out Walking the Dog shows a large rock face with a note, “OUT WALKING THE DOG. BACK SOON. TINA,” inscribed on it. There are some buildings and trees in the foreground, but the text is not obscured by them. The juxtaposition between the grand execution of the inscription and the simplistic nature of the casual note is a witty combo that urges the viewer to ponder more about society’s waste of natural resources and the nature of communications in contemporary life.

British artist David Shrigley uses a similar approach with his photograph Ignore This Building, which consists of a tiny placard placed in front of the showpiece SEC Armadillo on the Clyde. The sign reads, “IGNORE THIS BUILDING” in the artist’s signature handwriting and has a simple rendering of the building next to the text. Utilizing this unsophisticated but conscious style and perfunctory photographic look signals to the viewer that they are not asked to take Shrigley’s work seriously when regarding its craft. It is obvious that one would only want to notice that building since there is a sign that explicitly states to not do so. The enjoyment of the work is similar to being amused by a joke written inside of a toilet stall.

Both photographs take formulas of shock and visual puns as a special nod toward surrealism. Shrigley’s debunks the pretentiousness one might find in a manic, juvenile way; this is an anti-intellectual form of photo conceptualism that relies on the fast turnaround of ideas. For the viewer, there is an immediate comprehension and enjoyment of their meaning. Out Walking the Dog and Ignore This Building have been strategically composed behind-the-scenes by their respective photographers for the sole purpose of creating an image. This approach essentially means that the act of artistic creation occurs long before the camera is held in position on a fixed image; it all starts with an idea, a physical act which the viewer does not directly witness.

The execution for both works differs immensely. Out Walking the Dog took scrupulous preparation, yet the message that was painstakingly transcribed is something that could have instead been transcribed on a piece of paper. Unlike Delvoye’s photograph, Shrigley’s composition seems to have little to no effort: it probably took the artist less than ten minutes to assemble and place the placard in front of the Armadillo. Although seemingly informal, these works offer insight into the minds of their respective artists, making the viewer wonder: “Why would Delvoye go to such great lengths to etch a simple note?” and “Why does Shrigley want the viewer to ignore this specific building when he clearly brings more attention to it?” It then becomes apparent that the ideas and acts behind the works are more significant than their final compositions.

Moreover, Wim Delvoye’s Out Walking the Dog and David Shrigley’s Ignore This Building are works that hold inherent contradictions within themselves – the viewer does not know whether to stare, be seduced, or look away. Additionally, they are not traditional fine art photographs; their conceptual nature minimizes their technique and origin. Ultimately, both works offer more than what may initially meet the eye and cause their viewer to reflect upon the preliminary acts which make each so artistically compelling.