Under the Collar

Pacharee Prapanwattanasuk

gumgiebear@gmail.com

Under the Collar explores the hidden suffering embedded within modern dog ownership and the dog industry. Through a series of three layered paintings, the work contrasts idealized images of dogs presented through media and consumer culture with the realities that often remain unseen. The project investigates how practices associated with care, beauty, status, and affection can also involve exploitation, control, and physical harm.

The series examines issues including commercial breeding systems, selective breeding for aesthetic standards, and cosmetic procedures such as ear cropping and tail docking. By revealing the realities beneath socially accepted images, the work challenges the normalization of harmful practices driven by consumer demand and idealized perceptions of dogs. Through this contrast, Under the Collar questions how admiration and affection can obscure ethical consequences and hidden suffering.