One of China's most acclaimed contemporary artists Zhou Chunya
from http://www.chinesecontemporary.com/about.htm
>For over a decade Zhou Chunya has painted his dog, a dearly loved German Shepherd. He has always painted him green with a red belly andred tongue. These works show not only the deep understanding that existed between Zhou Chunya and his friend but the immense talent of the artist to convey every emotion and state of being, applicable to humans and animals alike, using the same model time and time again. When the dog died, most likely poisoned by neighbours, Zhou Chunya's grief and pain went directly onto the canvas with his wonderful green pal straight and stiff like a stick dog.
There is the big happy green dog, sitting there, taking up all the centre of the canvas, panting with his tongue hanging out. There is the sly green dog, painted in profile, just the head horizontally across the canvas with the nose extended and pointy, the eyes fixed on something ahead. There is the tiny green dog sitting and watching from the bottom corner of a huge empty canvas. There is the green dog on his back rolling in something unmentionable and enjoying it thoroughly. There is the dancing green dog, up on his hind legs his front paws flung across him as if in a fantastic version of a highland fling. The latest rendition of the green dog is in sculptural form with a magnificent coat of bright industrial car paint. He is big, slick and shiny, moving forward with a powerful, quiet stride. This dog doesn't roll around and certainly doesn't invite you to tickle his belly.>
