With the Bush administration relapsing into the shadows, and the
Obama inauguration promising a return to sanity, American voters may be
tempted to dismiss the debacle as an unfortunate mistake that —
ahem — “no one could have imagined.” That would be wrong:
military adventurism and expansionism have been part of American
culture since Lincoln lost his Congressional seat over his principled
opposition to Polk’s Mexican-American War, and arguably even before
that. And the financial meltdown is largely self-inflicted. Bushism was
less an anomaly than the monster from our collective id.
But the reign of error did reinvigorate the idea of political art.
Several local shows affiliated with the Art of Democracy, a national
protest art consortium, already have been noted here. The Red Door
Collective, a new Oakland nonprofit, has mounted an exhibition by 23
artists entitled Art & the Body Politick.
Curated by RDGC’s Jais Booth, Lisa Rasmussen and Lauren Odell Usher, it
addresses a host of themes from the familiar militarism, racism, and
imperialism to the exciting new Bailout Recession.
Jesus Barraza’s “If Capitalism Can Cross Borders, So Can We!” stands
up for those who seek work by following the money and jobs. Jais
Booth’s “Patriarchy II – Terror” is a powerful
expressionist evocation of panic. Guy Colwell’s “Breadline” depicts
social differences based on skin color and money. Kevin Evans’ “Enlist”
is a bizarrely funny recruiting poster for Orwell’s IngSoc with the
slogan, “Eliminate Thought Crime.” Heidi Forsell’s “Oh Grandma” is a
portrait of her relative merged with text of her “real American”
political sentiments. Doug Minkler’s “Bankers Trust” portrays a fanged
skull with computer-screen eyes. Claude Moller’s “Socialism for the
Rich,” with Stalin and a bemedaled Bush reviewing a May Day tank
procession, compares the $700 billion Wall Street bailout with the
comparative pittance spent on homelessness. Gary-Paul Prince’s
“Machine-gun Jesus” replaces the deadly cross with a firearm. Favianna
Rodriguez’s “Make Out Not War” updates the ’60s mantra with a puckering
Salma Hayek. Lauren Odell Usher’s “Men in Ties Rule the World,”
confirms the stupidity of sartorially restricted blood flow. And Mary
Hull Webster’s “Blue Sky with Bombs” juxtaposes filmstrip-like images
with a pastel background to subvert the “means justify ends” rationales
for mass violence. Art & the Body Politick runs through
January 31 at The Red Door Gallery and Collective (416 26th St.,
Oakland). Inauguration celebration on Jan. 20 from 6-10 p.m. RedDoorGalleryandCollective.blogspot.com
or 510-292-7061.
