ALFRED & RUFO

Commet had a large litter, seven in all. Rufo named his puppy Alfred. It was a rough period in Rufo’s life and Alfred was a new and entirely benign presence – friendly, energetic and curious. Walks were always at a funny staccato pace as Alfred ran full tilt until they were stopped by another admiring dog walker. Rufo met Luba in Hyde Park when Alfred was two. Luba had a Jack Russell bitch, the two dogs disappeared while their owners talked and exchanged numbers. The dogs were clearly attracted to each other. Just weeks later Alfred was out walking, he spotted some food in the road, ran out and was hit by a car. Rufo was devastated. At the height of his grief Luba called, she had a day old litter of Jack Russell puppies. Alfred was the father. Rufo now has Albert, Alfred’s son. Eight years after Alfred’s death Rufo commissioned Rachel Ball to make this model. The likeness of both Albert and the model to Alfred is uncanny.

16 Dec 2012