A free art trail is coming to Canary Wharf in March, in support of charity Guide Dogs.
Paws on the Wharf is the latest in a successful line of sculpture trails in London, with each larger-than-life guide dog-shaped sculpture individually designed or decorated by a different artist. The artworks also feature a harnesses, a nod to the charity behind the event.
Vision impaired artist Alex Devlin, scenic artist Amanda Quellin, and illustrator Tim Sutcliffe — who has worked on an impressive 42 similar sculptures in the past — are among the 25 artists and art collectives taking part. Also designing a dog is Clarke Reynolds, a blind artist aiming to bridge the gap between the visual and the tactile, demonstrating that a blind person can be a professional artist.
No word yet on what the dogs might look like after their makeover, but as is usually the way with these sculpture trails, the individual artworks be eventually auctioned off to raise money for the charity — in this case the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.
A free map of the trail will be available on the website soon, including information about accessible navigation. There will also be guided tours to help people with sight loss to discover the trail. It'll be free to visit and open 24/7.
Paws on the Wharf is a collaboration with the Wild In Art organisation, whose past work included The Snowman, Croydon Stands Tall giraffes and Morph art trails in London last year.
Paws on the Wharf is in Canary Wharf, 25 March-17 May 2024. It's free to visit.
