“Travelling through time with Claire,” reads photographer Alice van Kempen’s Instagram bio. Claire is Van Kempen’s three-year-old bull terrier who accompanies the artist on her adventures exploring beautiful abandoned spaces. She’s also the focus of Van Kempen’s work, posing in each scene to create a story.
On a ratty couch in someone’s former living room, Claire is spread across it like she just worked an 80-hour week during the Great Depression. In a room with peeling yellow walls, Claire is seated at a broken-down piano like she’s the attraction at an old speakeasy.
“She knows she can’t make any noise as that might make our presence known. But now she shows a little excitement, it’s time to do her job,” writes Van Kempen. “Time to do what she loves the most — posing as a model. Her name is Claire, she’s my favourite model, my muse.”