Rosa Selene Katavich

A critique of societal conformity through the breeding of dogs.

My project began with a simple but unsettling idea: what happens when an animal engineered to love us, protect us, and mirror us ends up inheriting the same pressures we created for ourselves? Dogs were shaped to be our closest companions, yet over time they, like us, became defined by roles, expectations, and usefulness. I wanted to tell a story about that disturbing shift, where loyalty turns into labour and identity becomes constructed and unauthentic. Using dogs for this story encourages readers to confront these themes in an unexpected way, questioning who the story is about: us, or our man-made best friends? I arrived at this focus through research into dog and human histories, eugenics in breeding, and outsider art movements.

My design responded through a large-format illustrated storybook told in reverse chronology, an oversized collar box, and two looping animations. Key techniques included a limited colour palette and blurred type based on canine vision, fragmented Dada and Art Brut inspired illustration, and cant-like syntax.

This project uses familiar symbols like dogs, affection, and belonging to quietly expose how we internalise control. It offers a narrative-led entry into conversations about authenticity, conformity, and the pressures that shape who we become.