Well, Spring is on its way and what better time to start anew my “Obama Taco Underwear” Painting Series. There is a temptation now since President Obama has been in office for over a year, to be complacent and become disinterested in the political process again. The elements that sparked “Obamamania” during the 2008 election campaign and the early months of Obama’s presidency rested alot on idealism, on the hopes of what Obama would accomplish once he became President. Now that he is in office it has been shown that he is perhaps not the “Superman” that many Americans had once thought, or hoped. Idealism has given way to realism and upcoming installments of my “Obama Taco Underwear” Painting Series– though I am still an enthusiastic supporter of the President– will perhaps reflect that somewhat.
I’ve made a few photo-ops which you see thumbnailed to the left of each paragraph of this entry. This is my “Obama Taco Underwear 2.0″ look which I call “A Patriot for Pesos,” to replace my previous look of “American Taco”. My face is now painted to look like the American flag, but with a taco on my forehead in place of the stars that represent each one of our great nation’s states. The “Patriot for Pesos” theme is meant to explore the idea of how so many people, when “Obamamania” was at its peak, perhaps exagerrated their patriotism somewhat, their enthusiasm for Obama and the hope of our great nation, in order to try and sell their Obama merchandise. And since my own particular merchandise has a Mexican food theme, and because the value of the American dollar has becoming increasingly low, I’ve chosen pesos instead of American currency.
But my patriotism was never exagerrated. And while my enthusiasm for Obama has settled into a more realistic mode of “watch, support and wait,” I fully expect it to be re-ignited, especially in the year or so leading into the 2012 election. Now is a period where I simply wish to camlm myself, watch and read the news with an open mind and a hopeful heart to see what happens next; and to continue making paintings to document what I personally feel are important aspects of the Obama Presidency. If I were to continue with my previous unabashed, screaming enthusiam of the President right now when he has yet to really accomplish anything too grand, I would feel silly. Shouting out things like, “Gobama! You’re kicking so much ass, dude!” just doesn’t seem appropriate during this period so my upcoming OTU 2.0 installments are going to reflect a more objective perspective. As an artist I just feel that right now I will find that more satisfying.
I’m going to explore some new symbology to integrate into my already-established symbols of tacos and underwear in regard to the American Obamanian Vision . I going to explore some subtle allusions to possible conspiracy theories, because conspiracy theories are fun and capture the imagination. But most of all I just want to be a part of the process in our country, contribute my own small part to the great and sweeeping changes that our nation is currently on the threshold of, and to continue to show my support of the President in my own way. So with my werewolf make-up on, a taco in my belly, in my underwear as I watch the evening news with a paintbrush in my hand and high hopes for America in my heart, I shall continue to create installments of my “Obama Taco Underwear” Painting Series!!
Tags: obama art, obama realism
