Sammy Polinsky and Sophia Day
Dog Eat Dog Houses
Dog Eat Dog Houses is a multimedia exploration of the Boston housing crisis through the form of the dog house, as well as a reflection on our societal obsession with pet dogs amidst delayed markers of adulthood for younger generations.
Dog Eat Dog Houses is a multimedia exploration of the Boston housing crisis through the form of the dog house, as well as a reflection on our societal obsession with pet dogs amidst delayed markers of adulthood for younger generations.
The Boston Foundation estimates that significant portions of Bostonians spend between one-third and half of their income on rent alone while all types of housing supplies have dwindled and housing and rental prices have increased. This housing crisis has moved the dream of homeownership, a traditional symbol of the American dream and a marker of adulthood, out of reach for many, particularly those in the millennial and Gen-Z groups. Amidst a myriad of think pieces trying to explain this crisis for the younger generations, one truth has emerged: younger generations love their dogs, treating their dogs like the children they cannot afford to have. The dog market has boomed in conjunction with the housing market, providing purchasing opportunities for our furry friends that we often cannot afford for ourselves - luxury dog houses, fashionable clothes, nutritionally-tailored fresh meals, and avocado toast toys (perhaps the cause of our financial downfall).
As young artists, renters, and dog parents, Sammy Polinsky and Sophia (Phi) Day, feel the acute pulls of the housing market, the weight of societal expectations, and the deep love they have for their dogs, Tofu and Tommy, who inspired this show. With practices rooted in humor and camp, the duo invites viewers to explore this constructed neighborhood, a reflection on both the absurdities of the Boston housing market and the “zillennial” infatuation with our dogs. With contributions from neighbors and community members, this exhibition seeks to encapsulate the stories of Boston housing past, present, and future, to highlight the idiosyncrasies of our beloved dogs, and to offer an opportunity to laugh through the tears we cry when rent is due.
| Commuter’s Paradise (T-Stop Housing) |
| Commuter’s Paradise (T-Stop Housing) Plywood, foam, plaster, house paint 2025 Inspired by the MBTA Communities Law, this piece is a hypothetical rendering of what affordable, multifamily housing might look like surrounding a T Station. People (and dogs) would be able to live, work, and eat all within a commuting reasonable distance, and at a reasonable price. As of now, nearly 70 communities are compliant with this new zoning requirement which opens up opportunities for innovative housing solutions. |
| This Old Cursed Home (RIP) Foam, plaster, frosted mylar, binder’s board, fake plants, lamps, paint 2024 Real estate value: $1,300,000 (building) A (mostly) loving recreation of the artists’ former shared home, this work represents a staple of Boston housing: the multi-family home. While effective for housing several people with a small footprint, these types of homes have faced zoning issues over the past few years, slowly making them an iconic relic. Many of these homes have fallen into relative disrepair with old plumbing and peeling paint, yet landlords are still able to charge upwards of $2,000 a month in rent per unit, while contributing minimally to upkeep or upgrades. The artists were forced to evacuate this house due to a fire in February 2024. All units are currently vacant. RIP (Repairs in Progress). |
Plywood, chandelier, fabric, polyfill, wallpaper, cardboard, paint
2024
Real estate value:
$1,000,000 (per unit)
Perhaps the most obvious symbol of the gentrification of Jamaica Plain, these luxury row houses, built up the road from the artists’ former residence, sell at an unaffordable price point for the average resident: a parody of the formerly-affordable multi-family home. As the Boston Globe reported, it is likely that many “upscale” units in Boston are investment properties, not actually housing the people who own them and sitting vacant for most of the year. These units boast luxury yet are made with vinyl “wood” and mass-produced synthetic materials – carefully manufactured lawns belie profit margins and the widening gap between Jamaica Plain past and present.
MDF, PVC, vinyl, plywood, thread, artificial turf and vines, paint
2024
Real estate value: $300,000
One of the major contributing factors to the housing crisis is a lack of stock; there simply aren’t enough houses being built to meet demand. 3D printing technology and repurposed shipping containers are two solutions being put forward to create low-cost, sustainable options for buyers. This piece reflects this solution-oriented approach while also including hypothetical clean energy and hydroponic systems geared for furry denizens.
Concrete
2025
The high cost of building new homes is now further complicated by issues like tariffs on foreign lumber. Enter: 3D printed homes. Made out of modified concrete, these homes can be printed in a matter of days and often at a lower cost than a traditionally-built home. While the technology is still new, 3D printing offers a promising glimpse at the future of home building.
This dog house was made in collaboration with the talented designers, engineers, and architects at Madco3D, whose mission is to solve housing issues through mega-scale printing technology.
Plastic Readymade
2025
Planned obsolescence and “shrinkflation” are now commonplace in our daily lives with corporations cutting costs and corners to increase profits. In the same vein, new construction housing is often critiqued to be poor quality and over-priced. This piece, a plastic readymade made in collaboration with an online shopping platform, is a critique of this garbage construction, a plastic-formed facsimile of a house. It’s not lazy, it’s conceptual.
The Bench and The Dispenser
Refurbished Bench, Paint, linen, polyfil, poop bag dispenser, housing pamphlets, faux grass, shrubs
2025
Cardboard, chipboard, air dry clay, acrylic paint, wood scraps
2025
What would a walkable city look like? How do we build an urban utopia? Do dogs like art? Day and Polinsky boldly set out to answer these questions at miniature scale with this piece. Made initially for a virtual show at Shelter in Place Gallery, this work imagines what a small section of a walkable, ideal city might look like, and invites dogs into artistic conversations with its method of display.
Dog patrons are invited to sniff, but not touch, the work.