2009 National Juried Competiton Show

This body of work explores issues of modification and modern isolation as expressed through pets, specifically domestic show cats. Over the years, animals have taken a more important role in peoples lives, often fulfilling the role of family member. As people seek to change and modify themselves to create individuality and betterment, such ideas are also applied to the pets that people choose to own. Pure–bred cats and other animals have increasingly become a market for people to customize their animals, creating designer companions. While the basic ideas of animal breeding have been around for many years, more absurdist breeding trends hint at something deeper and darker beyond the surface.
In these images, the fantasies of the owner or breeder are projected unto the animal, crafting a hybrid world of humanistic ideals and animalistic tendencies. The cats themselves have been stripped of their natural environment and traits, having had to adapt to the constructed fantasy world that we provide for them. By presenting show cats and personal pets are presented in role play and dress up, and in front of recreated 1980‘s school portrait photography backdrops, I investigate the strangely elevated status that prized animal companions hold in the contemporary family construct and modern psyche.

Alissa Eberle (b. Lowell, MA, 1981) is a NYC based photography artist. She grew up in the suburbs of Boston, and received her BFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts/ Tufts University in 2005. In her work, she is interested in the intersection between fantasy and reality. Currently she is exploring this topic through the world of show cats and animal breeding.




‹‹ back to competition page				Alissa Eberle This body of work explores issues of modification and modern isolation as expressed through pets, specifically domestic show cats. Over the years, animals have taken a more important role in peoples lives, often fulfilling the role of family member. As people seek to change and modify themselves to create individuality and betterment, such ideas are also applied to the pets that people choose to own. Pure–bred cats and other animals have increasingly become a market for people to customize their animals, creating designer companions. While the basic ideas of animal breeding have been around for many years, more absurdist breeding trends hint at something deeper and darker beyond the surface. In these images, the fantasies of the owner or breeder are projected unto the animal, crafting a hybrid world of humanistic ideals and animalistic tendencies. The cats themselves have been stripped of their natural environment and traits, having had to adapt to the constructed fantasy world that we provide for them. By presenting show cats and personal pets are presented in role play and dress up, and in front of recreated 1980‘s school portrait photography backdrops, I investigate the strangely elevated status that prized animal companions hold in the contemporary family construct and modern psyche. Alissa Eberle (b. Lowell, MA, 1981) is a NYC based photography artist. She grew up in the suburbs of Boston, and received her BFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts/ Tufts University in 2005. In her work, she is interested in the intersection between fantasy and reality. Currently she is exploring this topic through the world of show cats and animal breeding. Artist Web Site