The Jesup Gallery
September 30 -December 8, 2026
Reception and conversation with Miggs Burroughs and artist Dionne Pia, October 14, 6-8 pm, in the Trefz Forum; click here for more information.
(Reception kicks off at 6 pm, followed by a conversation with Miggs Burroughs and artist Dionne Pia at 7 pm.)
When most people think of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, they think of the competition, the perfectly groomed dogs, the judges, the ribbons, and the moment when a champion is chosen.
When I photograph Westminster, I’m drawn to everything that happens around those moments. I look for the quiet connection between a dog and its handler. A reassuring hand before entering the ring. A glance that seems to need no explanation. The patience of a groomer carefully preparing a coat. A dog being washed, clipped, brushed, carried, comforted, or simply resting beside the person it trusts. These are small moments, but to me they reveal something much larger: love, loyalty, faithfulness, trust, and belonging.
There is also a wonderful sense of theater at Westminster. The extraordinary variety and beauty of the dogs, the elegance and personal style of the handlers and judges, the intensity of competition, and, occasionally, the wonderfully funny and whimsical moments that remind us that these remarkable competitors are still dogs.
As a photographer, I am interested in that intersection: the beauty and the humor, the spectacle and the intimacy, the precision of competition and the unpredictability of life happening around it.
Being behind the scenes gives me access to a world that most spectators never see. My photographs invite viewers beyond the judging ring and into those less visible spaces: the grooming areas, the waiting, the preparation, the nervousness, the affection, and the moments immediately before and after competition.
Ultimately, this work is not simply about photographing dogs. It is about relationships.
Through these images, I hope to show Westminster not only as one of the world’s great dog shows, but as a celebration of the remarkable bond between people and animals—and the beauty, devotion, humor, and humanity that exist within it.
Olivier J.-P. Kpognon is an award-winning photographer and visual storyteller whose work explores people, relationships, culture, and the moments that often unfold beyond the expected frame. Born in Brussels, raised in Washington, D.C., and of Beninese and French heritage, Kpognon brings a global perspective and a deeply human approach to his photography.
For more than two decades, he has worked across documentary, corporate, cultural, philanthropic, and sporting environments, building a body of work centered on authentic moments and meaningful human connection. He is the founder and creative director of O & Co. Media, a Fairfield-based photography and visual storytelling company serving organizations and brands in the United States and internationally.
As an official photographer for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Kpognon has been given a unique vantage point from which to document one of the world’s most celebrated canine traditions. His photographs move beyond the spectacle of competition to reveal quieter and often unseen moments—the preparation, anticipation, humor, beauty, and, above all, the remarkable bond between dogs and the people who care for them.
Through his work, Kpognon seeks to find the extraordinary within the everyday and to create images that invite viewers not simply to observe a moment, but to feel something within it.
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For more about the Library's art exhibits, visit the Art at the Library page.
