Ricardo Romero’s Monumental Dog Sculpture Takes over Leiria
Artist Ricardo Romero presents KYNO, an ambitious sculptural and conceptual project that reimagines the dog as a philosophical and civic figure. Installed in the gardens surrounding the historic Villa Portela, this monumental white canine, captured in a playful stance, leaning into motion, tail raised in alert attention, activates the landscape with a presence of joyfulness.
KYNO, Leiria. Image copyright Ricard Romero
Developed over nearly two years, KYNO takes its name from the ancient Greek word for “dog,” the root of kynikos, the origin of Cynicism. Drawing on the legacy of Diogenes, who used the dog as a symbol of radical honesty and resistance to social pretence, Romero positions this oversized figure as both sentinel and provocateur.
KYNO, Leiria. Image copyright Ricard Romero
Rendered at architectural scale, the sculpture transforms the grounds of Villa Portela into a stage where movement, vigilance, and inquiry unfold. The dog is photographed emerging from the undergrowth, circling the historic house, crossing paths and open clearings with an excitable energy.
KYNO, Leiria. Image copyright Ricard Romero
KYNO’s sheer size forces viewers to confront it physically, shifting perception and prompting a new awareness of the environment it inhabits.
KYNO, Leiria. Image copyright Ricard Romero
The monumental dog sculpture is accompanied by a canvas and a video work, forms the core of Kynon, an exhibition that offers viewers the rare chance to see the world from an animal’s perspective. Ricardo Romero speaks about the project representing nearly two years of artistic research, “I intend to completely break with the figurative direction of The Pack,” Romero explains, noting that Kynon is grounded in Cynicism, the philosophical tradition associated with Diogenes.
Throughout the city, several quotations from the ancient thinker have been installed, encouraging visitors to encounter them as part of the wider conceptual framework. “We are led to reflect on our position in relation to society,” the artist adds, emphasising the project’s focus on perspective, behaviour, and the human–animal relationship.