Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Medium rare

Just easing back into blogger mode here.

I plan on doing some kind of recap of Labor Day weekend (maybe), but I wanted to post this neato portrait done by an artist in Great Britain.

When I first saw this portrait -- before reading the story behind it (pun intended) -- I thought it was quite a fetching likeness of the President.

He is depicted gazing stoically into the future, ready to do what is necessary to ensure the continuance of life, liberty and the Amercan way. I'm pretty sure that's was Republican supporters in Texas thought, too. Until they read the story behind the portrait.
US Republicans are none too pleased with Brit artist Jonathan Yeo, who's just completed a fetching portrait of George Bush constructed from grumble mag clippings...

According to the Sun, Republicans have reacted with predictable indignation. A spokesman for Republicans Abroad International said: "This will cause outrage in America. Some people will think it’s funny - but personally I think it is a cheap stunt."

A spokesman for the Texas tentacle of the Republican Party chipped in with: "This picture is very distasteful. Why would anyone want to make a picture of our President from pornographic material?"
That's right, look closely at the collage images and you can see (if you want) women and men in various stages of undress performing various acts upon each other.

Not sure what the artist's message is. The President is a boob? Something about being the "head" of state? Dick (Cheney, of course) is on the president's mind?

According to the artist:
"I did it for fun, not to offend, but I'm pleased with it. I did it to amuse."
Still, it's a pretty good portrait. It raises a few questions: What is the intrinsic value of the medium. Does the medium increase/decrease the aesthetic value of a work? Is that what I think it is on his earlobe?

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10 comments:

  1. Maybe he was thinking that the President is not his own man, and in fact someone else's bitch.

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  2. OMG! Look at the ear on the left! That's just wrong, man.

    Very talented artist, IMO. Art is art...why do people have to make something more of it than what it is?

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  3. Well I'm insulted. I only see, like, THREE good images. If THAT.

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  4. Nice to see the ladies are on board with the porno posts.

    One of my partners has something like this of Abraham Lincoln. Of course that collage is made with Matthew Brady photographs.

    Cheers.

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  5. For once I don't feel dirty coming here with my pants down.

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  6. That would be my 2nd choice for The Official Presidential Portrait.

    My first choice would be for the same artist to create a similar work made from images of dead, wounded and tortured combatants from Iraq.

    THAT is the portrait that should go in The Smithsonian.

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  7. Chimpo, you are a cheeky monkey.

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  8. I spotted a chocolate starfish by his right ear, and a penis under his bottom lip.

    Awesome!

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  9. I wonder what Bush's portrait would look like if done by Thomas Barbey...

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  10. That's a mighty big zit on the bridge of the President's nose.

    Oh, wait...

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