“Dog Bless You: The Photography of Mary Bloom”

Cat videos and photos are the undisputed rulers of the World Wide Web. Snoopy the Cat, Maru and a million other examples of feline talent have spawned an entire economy of adorable proportions. But no dramatic capitalist explosion comes without casualties. Cute dog pictures have gone the way of America’s manufacturing jobs, these once-proud animals forced to act as extras in the service of catspitalist oppressors like Lil Bub, Surprised Kitty and Henri the Existential Cat. But one person is fighting back. Mary Bloom, former photographer-in-residence at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine and official shooter of the Westminster Kennel Club, captures stills of our newly underappreciated canine pals and lends them a solemn pride that Keyboard Cat couldn’t hope to equal. The church displays more than 70 “dignified and intimate portraits of man’s best friend,” covering a wide range of breeds and settings. Grumpy Cat, it seems, is about to get a little grumpier.