B.

When is a dog a mouse?

Behind the scenes

Throughout the centuries man has delighted in creating representations of his canine companions.

That amazingly lame sentence is my way of getting us into a blog about a dog: Julia Morison's dog called Mouse, who's been in attendance all week in our new 'Outer Space' while Julia and the CAG team install her exhibition. (Julia's exhibition, that is - not Mouse's.)

Photo: Mouse, by Nathan 'The Chihuahua Whisperer' Pohio

Photo: Mouse, by Nathan 'The Chihuahua Whisperer' Pohio

Working offsite differs in many ways from working inside the Gallery. And one thing you were guaranteed never to see was a dog inside the Christchurch Art Gallery. Though there are rumours of the pooch of a current staff member once getting loose inside the Dowse, as a rule we try to keep live animals away from the priceless objects.

Mind you, it's not as if Mouse has the heft to do any damage. A young chihuahua, she's so tiny and light that when she jumps up and down you'd swear she was about to float off. And when Julia wants to restrain her, she ties Mouse to nothing weightier than her handbag.

What's this blog got to do with art? Nothing. We just like Mouse.