Posted on 04/27/2009 5:07:24 PM PDT by PJ-Comix
Late last night, Kathryn drew attention to this Obama painting entitled "The Truth," by Michael D'Antuono, set to be revealed at an installation in New York's Union Square Wednesday — Obama's 100th day in office:
I just got off the phone with D'Antuono, and he had some surprsing news: he's decided that he's not going to unveil the painting after all. (Though he didn't rule out a possible gallery showing later.) While being provocative is often the goal for a lot of artists, I asked D'Antuono if the strong reaction and news coverage of the painting was what he was hoping for, he quickly said "No, not really." Here's how he explained his decision not to show the painting:
The idea of the piece, or the reaction that I'd hoped for, was to highlight our nation's deep partisan divide and how our interpretation of the truth is really prejudiced by our political perspective and I think that to a large degree we are being manipulated by the media. I miss the old day when we just have the facts. Now we have pundits and spin and strategists.
I just thought that through that painting people would see different things. The right and the left would have different interpretations of it based on their political lens. But I have to admit I was very surprised that instead of that I got thousands of email complaining on the religious front. And that was not my intent at all. I wanted to create a dialog politically but not religiously. I didn't mean to make fun of anybody's religion; maybe I did so naively but I didn't mean it that way. In the bible Jesus is The Truth and comparing Obama that way isn't something I meant to do at all.
Apparently, I've upset a lot of people. And I've decided that's not what I wanted to do and I'm not going to display it in the park on Wednesday ... art is meant to be somewhat provocative but the religious element went way farther than I had anticipated.
When I pressed him about the religious iconography at play, he did seem to indicate that he'd been genuinely naive. "I know, I know — I did put im in a crown of thorns, right?," knowing full well that his ignorance seems hard to explain. As for the rest of the explained his own artistic vision for the painting, it certainly seems like he was sincere in trying to make a non-partisan statement:
There were a lot of elements and they just all came together. The black veil that he's opening – or is he closing? Is he creating transparency in the presidency or is he closing the veil and shutting out the Right, governing his own way?
In any event, D'Antuono seemed surprsingly thoughtful given how outrageous the painting might seem at first glance. While many in the artists simply see provocation simply as means of promotion and feeding their egotistical desires, it's pretty refreshing to hear an artist admit that cares more about what he's trying to say than simply playing with the ambiguity of perception — let alone admit that on some level he failed to properly convey his artistic vision. If only the rest of the art world was similarly free of pretension and posessed the capacity to be self-critical.
What kind of response did he think he was going to get? America has roots in Christianity and we believe in God. Not mortal man.
The artist showed breathtakingly bad taste in depicting Zero this way,and showed breathtakingly good taste in choosing not to display it.
How is this art different than the the loads of art last year during the election tweaking Obama’s messianic pretensions?
Poppycock. You don’t put someone in a cruciform pose with a crown of thorns on his head without having some religious implication.
Actually I LIKE the painting, it is OBVIOUSLY commenting on the faithful worship Obama is attracting in America. It’s not anti Christan, sheesh. Freepers, where’s your sense of humor?
This is for real? I thought it was a joke.
Now that I have read the artist’s words. I can sort of see that painting as Obama the Anti-Christ closing the curtains on the USA!
>> And that was not my intent at all. I wanted to create a dialog politically but not religiously. I didn’t mean to make fun of anybody’s religion; maybe I did so naively but I didn’t mean it that way. In the bible Jesus is The Truth and comparing Obama that way isn’t something I meant to do at all.
I call bullsh!t. The pose, the crown of thorns, the play on “The One” as “Obamessiah” — he was well aware of the religious overtones and to claim naivete at the offensiveness of the obvious religious angle is disingenuous.
I wonder if the artist was concerned that some of the people sent panicking today by the jumbo jet which buzzed Manhattan would throw tomatoes at his painting?
This is a good thing, not showing it, I hope the artist BURNS IT
“In any event, D’Antuono seemed surprsingly thoughtful...”
I call BS on this...he knew exactly what he was doing...and simply could’nt cognitively embrace the greater than expected response.....when one of my kids suddenly realizes that they really are going to have to deal will their father on an adult level concerning some of their decision-making.
I have to agree with you. I thought it was more a stab at the people who inspired freepers to use the term Obamessiah.
Burns it? How do you burn an image that has gone viral on the net?
Statement by the artist who put Obama on a Donkey. Sharp and funny, IMO.
for the life of me I cannot accept his disclaimer on his own ignorance and use of symbolism I find THAT unacceptable!
maybe he’s getting death threats from the pro-obozo crowd ?
Right. And obama didn't know about the NYC flyover today.
he's decided that he's not going to unveil the painting after all.
Good plan, now that 2.5 billion people have seen it online already.
Kind of has a Michael Jackson-esque pose to it.
Almost expect Obama to let out a “HEE-hee” and grab his junk.
The artist is lying that he didn’t think he’d get religious people complaining about it. He’s not naive, he’s a liar. He knows “The Truth” means something to Christians, as Christ said that He is the Truth. Guy is lying.
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