Susumu Kamijo, "The Beach Lovers," 2020. Archival pigment print; 26 x 20 in (66 x 50.8 cm).
Susumu Kamijo, "The Sinner at Dusk," 2021. Walnut wood and oil paint with a matte protective coating. 11 x 8 3/10 x 13 4/5 in (28 x 21 x 35 cm).
Susumu Kamijo’s The Beach Lovers (2020) and The Sinner at Dusk (2021) are featured in Pets and the City, a group exhibition curated by Roberta J.M. Olson at the New-York Historical Society. Running from October 25, 2024 to April 20, 2025, this exhibition explores the evolving relationship between New Yorkers and their pets over the past two and a half centuries, highlighting how urbanization and industrialization have shaped this bond. Susumu's poodle series, inspired by walking his partner's toy poodles in Brooklyn and attending dog grooming competitions, captures the charm and instinctual behaviors of these animals. His works also draw on influences from Japanese printmaking, particularly in their use of empty space, contributing to the broader narrative of pets in urban life.
