Studio Notes: New painting: ‘Oh Barack, don’t let’s ask for the moon’, 2009
"Oh Barack, Don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars."
Chick Flick (Acrylic, screenprint on 16 x 20" canvas) is a continuation of my using Broadway and Hollywood metaphors, in examining the US/Israeli/Palestinian relationships.
'Chick Flick' explores the cultural and political pressure points in those relationships. It arose from that famous last line of Bette Davis' 1941 film Now Voyager - "Oh Jerry. Don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars." Remember? Well, this is a take on that except the stars and moon have a different meaning, and Barack has become Paul Henreid. It comes back to the stars and the moon, and the people they represent, and how our culture embeds opinions while we stare at the flickering screen.
For those that have never heard of Bette Davis, shame on you, and go Google. If you are under 25 and cannot possibly fathom the effort to appreciate this great actress, this might make you more sympathetic. Along with the stars and the moon, we have the Catholic Bible. The torn off poster is the first page of The Douay-Rheims Bible from 1582 (rather much altered) which I screen printed and collaged onto the canvas. There's that illustrative pulp and graffiti coming through too.
What a mess….
