Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Oval Office Obama offensive?...

Obama - New Yorker MagazineOffensive in both senses of the word. Not very polemic...NOT MUCH! The excellent blogging internet newspaper The Huffington Post reports it thus: "The illustration, by Barry Blitt, is called "The Politics of Fear" and, "according to the NYer press release, satirizes the use of scare tactics and misinformation in the Presidential election to derail Barack Obama's campaign." Uh-huh. What's that they say about repeating a rumor?" And their updates on both the artist and The New Yorker editor comments:

Update: Artist Barry Blitt: "It seemed to me that depicting the concept would show it as the fear-mongering ridiculousness that it is."

Update II: New Yorker editor David Remnick call the cover "satire" targeting not Obama, but the "absurdity" of the rumors flying about him."

OK, a bit tenuous to say the least...but I'm not sure that's how the cartoon will be/is being judged but it will sure spice up the election campaign: the image has it all...'Muslim' Obama, his wife with a Black Panther (??) afro and gear - "packing a machine gun and some serious ammo". Osama bin Laden picture on the wall and not forgetting the Stars and Stripes burning away on the fire! No holds barred!!! (click on image for full story)

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2 comments:

Paul said...

People who aren't really into art hate it if the work of art in question needs explanation. To the non-art lover the black canvas doesn't convey the artists internal suffering (think the Fast Show - it's black, all black)they see a sheet of black which conveys a combination of a lack of imagination and a big Arts Council grant.

When the Editor of a magazine needs to explain that the cover is being ironic and then commissions an 18 page article to back-up the 'satirical' and 'ironic' nature of the cover you have to wonder whether somebody has reached their creative zenith or their creative nadir. Does Beethoven's ninth sound better knowing the composer was deaf?

Span Ows said...

Very profound Paul! I thought teh same re the cartoon...he seems to have assisted 'the right' and McCain whom can say it is offensive and sit back and enjoy the polemic!