In the two centuries since the invention of photography, taking pictures of pets has become a ubiquitous use of the technology. Now through April 13, some artful and unusual approaches to pet photography are inhabiting an exhibit at the Momentary in Bentonville. 

“Best In Show: Pets in Contemporary Photography”  encompasses a few hundred pictures representing a variety of practitioners, styles and processes. The show, which runs through April 13, fills several galleries at the Momentary, the hip offshoot of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. 

The Fotografiska museum in New York City collaborated with the Momentary for the exhibit. The collection intends to celebrate and acknowledge pets for their “presence in Western art and popular culture, and their multifaceted relationships with humans.”

Along with the prototypical snapshots of winsome dogs or cats being cats, some of the pictures are shot and processed to look like fine paintings. One example is a spooky series depicting girls and their dogs by the Dutch photographer Hellen van Meene. The photos employ light and shadow in ways reminiscent of Vermeer.

On a more playful side, the show includes a selection of those side-by-side diptych panels illustrating how dogs and their owners grow to resemble each other – shaggy hair, thick jowls and all. Visitors will also encounter an entire wall coated with faux fur. 

The family-friendly winter show elevates pet photography to a museum-level experience. But it’s not afraid to get down and roll in the exuberant themes that sustain the genre’s popularity.  

Admission to the exhibit is free. Leashed and domesticated pets will be allowed in the galleries with some restrictions.

Photo: “Greta” by Ralph Hargarten (2013).