World Famous Paparazzi Dogs Land in San Francisco from Australia

Published Jan 2019

Temporary art installation to excite visitors through May 2019

San Francisco, CA – The Union Square Business Improvement District and artists Gillie and Marc from Australia bring Paparazzi Dogs to San Francisco, the first time on the west coast, United States. These bronze statues can be seen one block away from Union Square along the cable car line at the corner of Powell Street and O’Farrell. 

Uniquely created as a nod to the tragic death of Princess Diana, the Aussie couple wanted bring awareness to the pack mentality of photographers against celebrities at the time who used aggressive tactics to capture their perfect shot. This royal family of pups (Charles, William, Harry, and Tom) have been on display all over the world to include destinations like New York City, Sydney, Singapore, and London. Now visitors from all over the world who visit the City by the Bay can capture their own moment with the Paparazzi Dogs.

“San Francisco is a place where every person can truly be themselves. People from all walks of life come to San Francisco to emerge themselves deep in culture and to feel free. As artists, we live by that notion and it is reflective in our work,” says Gillie and Marc Schattner. 

Gillie and Marc Schattner share a strong bond and love for creating pieces of art that not only represents themselves as soulmates, but bring attention to the social and environmental issues of our time. In a city that leads the pack on human and animal rights, climate change, and gender equality, San Francisco is the perfect backdrop to house art that brings these social challenges to the surface.

The Paparazzi Dogs are a first step in an effort to display temporary art installations on a regular basis in the Union Square community. 

“We welcome these pups with open arms and treats in our back pockets. Public art with peculiar perspectives, particularly those that bring social awareness to an important issue, should be unleashed and displayed for residents and visitors in San Francisco,” noted Karin Flood, Executive Director of the Union Square Business Improvement District. These pieces will make you stop in your tracks, tilt your head, and smile. That’s exactly what we want to see.”