Cosmo 

Lucia Heffernan created this oil painting, Cosmo, offering us a window into contemporary pet culture. The work reflects the changing social status of domestic animals. Looking at this close-up portrait, note how Cosmo the golden retriever is presented with a solemnity usually reserved for human subjects. Paintings of pets have a long history, but in recent years, they've moved beyond simple documentation. The rise of social media has amplified the trend of pet "parenting," where animals are treated as family members and their lives are carefully curated and shared online. Heffernan’s Cosmo captures this phenomenon, portraying the dog with a distinct personality, an individual worthy of artistic representation. Further research into the artist’s body of work, and the broader trends in social media, will give us a better understanding of the increasing role animals play in our society and social lives.