Not so much 'arty', just 'farty'!

From a position of nil artistic ability, regular readers will know that I cannot resist the temptation to go all 'arty-farty' from time to time.  On this occasion, I must express my gratitude to the dribbling Democratic blogger, Mr. P.M.Carpenter, whose site I continue to visit, despite being banned, because it provides a view into 'alt-America'.

Today he features the official portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Obama and it is to Mr. Carpenter's credit that, despite his political leanings, he makes clear his unenthusiasm for that of the former President.  I think it stinks but not just because of the subject but the fact that the artist, Mr. Kehinde Wiley (no, me neither) has painted him in front of a background that resembles a jungle warfare training centre!  Also, he has failed utterly to catch the ex-President's greatest feature - his expression of supreme arrogance.  However, I did notice that he exaggerated the size of Obama's hands, possibly in direct contrast to those titchy ones possessed by 'The Donald'!

Mrs. Obama comes off very much better, as you would expect from a lady of steely self-assurance.  This was painted by Ms. Amy Sherald (and no again, me neither!) 

It is a striking design and by posing her elegantly in a huge dress and in a sitting position, she neatly avoids the 'BB Problem', er, that is the 'Big Bum Problem'!

As for Mr. Carpenter's site, it remains as hilarious as ever as he and his followers, including the odious little 'PeterG', shriek and moan and beat their breasts as they suffer the torment of Trumpian rule without, as yet, any idea of how to win the next election.

 

 

Comments

[Whitewall]

'Big Bum Problem'. AKA "junk in the trunk".

[David Duff]

Whiters, that was most ungentlemanly of you and I urge you not to repeat it in front of the lady because she probably has the advantage of height, weight and reach!

[Mark]

Weird, like some sort of surreal set of tarot cards.

[Whitewall]

After studying the dress made by Omar the Tent Maker, I suspect our Navy might be missing a large chunk of its signal corps display.

[AussieD]

G'day Whitewall,

With only a little effort it could be run up a signal halyard to read "You are running into danger".

Well actually a great deal of effort as it looks nothing like like code flag "Uniform"

[Whitewall]

AussieD,
I have it! The dress says, "abandon hope all ye who enter here". Whaddaya think?

[Timbo]

Kate at SmallDeadAnimals has a very naughty version of O's portrait.

[KellyJ]

But they are perfect commentaries of the 8 years of Obama. A small man who can dress the part, but is lost against the background of reality.
And Mrs O. A few splashes of color but no style or substance to stand out.
8 years of rhetoric, but no accomplishments that create a sense of Statesmanship.

[AussieD]

Whitewall that is naughty. But probably absolutely correct.

[David Duff]

Timbo is 'a very naughty boy' because he forgot to add a link to the site SmallDeadAnimals. Here it is and it's worth a look because it's very witty and the commentary is amusing!

http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/2018/02/obama-portrait-.html

[Mayfly]

It looks as though Obama has been photo shopped onto the green background.
Badly.

And if I were Mrs Obama, I would like to remind the painter that the subject of the portrait was the person, not the dress. The dress is beautiful, elegant and could do with the removal of the owner.

[backofanenvelope]

I see that the artist (who is black of course) specialises in portraits of black women decapitating white women.

[Bob]

Obama seems to be partially embedded in an ivy-covered wall at Wrigley Field, which might make a statement about his home city, but is still bizarre. I'd demand my money back.

Mrs. Obama's isn't bad though, and shows influence of Gustav Klimt:

[Bob]

David, since you mentioned Carpenter I spent a few minutes over there. Apparently oblivious of the irony, he's changed the name of his blog to "The Carpentariat". I'm not sure if it's idiomatic American English, but "to carp" means "to complain".

Despite his Democratic semblance, he's a libertarian who is contemptuous of all politicians and their constituents, like his hero H. L. Mencken. You two have that attitude in common, though you're honest about it. And you haven't read carefully. He claims you're not blocked anymore.

[David Duff]

"He claims you're not blocked anymore."

Really, Bob, I must have missed that! Have you got a link?

And I would not describe him in any sense as a "libertarian". In power he would urge his party to ram through every bit of legislation forcing people to follow 'the party line' - or else!

[Bob]

David,

Under the title "Housekeeping Notes" on the front page:

"I don't delete comments and no one is currently blocked. In the past I have blocked explicit racists, but these bans I cancel within a couple days once the racist realizes he has been blocked, and has taken a sulking hike. (Plus, I am philosophically opposed to virtually any censorship.)"

That might mean he wants to make up. I don't know where you got your opinion about Carpenter's outlook on party power, but it probably has to do with the different meanings of "libertarian" in Britain and America. I'll just agree to disagree. Besides, I probably exaggerated. You are both contemptuous of virtually all politicians and their constituents. Better?

[missred]

Good grief, both portraits are sophmoric - nay, juvenile. It does, however, expose them as the ignorant rubes they are.

[mike fowle]

I also had a look at Carpenter's site but I saw Peter G still going on about you David (not mentioned by name but obvious) so he's still not grown up yet.

[David Duff]

Sorry, Bob, I couldn't find anything referring to "Housekeeping Notes", not that it matters because I have no great desire to return.

Mike, waiting for PeterG to grow up could be an infinity of time!

[Dom]

If you look closely at the leaf patterns in the Barack portrait, you can see certain patterns are repeated. It looks like it’s a mashup done in photoshop and then traced onto a canvas.

[Bob]

Sorry David, sloppy writing. It's "Housekeeping note". Just go to the main page and use the "find" function of your browser. Every once in a while I consider it, but don't have much desire to comment there either.

[Dom]

Someone else noticed this:

https://disq.us/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ar15.com%2Fmedia%2Fmediafiles%2F87193%2F0pasta-450485.JPG%3A77_n5WakAjrbi-72UNuS3n2p8YU&cuid=2175616

[David Duff]

Dom, well spotted!

Bob, 'gotcha', thanks.

[Cuffleyburgers]

Awful paintings.

Oddly appropriate.

[Peter Melia]

Mrs O’s picture is a bit strange (not, you will understand, Mrs O, who is perfectly fine, not strange at all!).
The picture left-hand-side looks just that’ (the left-hand-side view of the lady). But it is practically a full left-hand-view. However, at the (picture) position upper right, just below where the neck emerges from the shoulder, then heading diagonally down to her right, the (picture) view switches into frontal. See the morsels of white shoulder straps. The ladies right-hand strap appears more or less one would expect it, but from the morsel of the ladies left-hand strap, as shown, it appears as if there is a huge space between the strap at the shoulder and the junction with the shoulder. The above is a discussion of the technicalities of the picture, and has no reference to the subject of the picture at all. The artist has let her down.

[Dom]

The New Yorker can’t stop praising the Barack portrait. Listen to how silly this is: “Is this ecstatic realism or total fever dream? A momentary slippage or a new stability? An exercise in canon-making or sneaky deconstruction?”

[David Duff]

Peter, well spotted! In fact, both her arms appear to be out of proportion particularly compared to the size of her head. Of course, these days realism plays second fiddle to impression!

Dom, 'The Noo Yawker' has obviously taken leave of whatever senses it once had!