Wednesday, October 1, 2008

John and Barack Sitting in a Tree...


The Progressive magazine always goes out of its way to be provocative in both artwork and essay content, regularly spurring squeamish readers to go through the "Cancel My Subscription!" ritual. They've topped themselves with the October issue's cover art by Sako Shahinian. Not sure what is being said here, but I'll cherish this issue as a collector's item.

8 comments:

Ruth said...

"Kiss and make up" ? (after the debate)

Wow, it's a startling image! Would it be less startling if it were McCain and Palin kissing? I mean they hug enough. If Janet Reno were the running mate, would he hug her so much?

Sharon said...

Not having read the article I'm just going to guess.......that democrats and republicans are all in bed together and that that bed is an exclusionary two party system of incestious codependency.

Normally I hate art that embraces sensationlism in place of depth or content but in this case I have to say I love the piece. What a riot!

Loring Wirbel said...

The funny thing is that the art wasn't tied to any particular article, though several were about the limits of voting and the two-party system. Sometimes The Progressive just does that in a pseudo-Adbusters kinda way, it's why I love them so.

John Ackerson said...

I like the image. It says a lot. It's relevant in a way that hits us subconsciously (something I admit is not achieved enough in what I paint)

Yeah it's sensational, and therefore attention getting, but given what stupid times we appear to be living through, in a way the image of the two being in bed together as Sharon mentions, infers that the editors are in agreement that our form of democracy is really just a front for codependent insanity.

Greeley's Ghost said...

Um, call me crazy, but if these two guys elicited some real passion, wouldn't there be some tongue in that piece of art?

Loring Wirbel said...

EEEWWWW! Cancel my subscription!

RunninL8 said...

SHOCKING!!! oh, mercy, my delicate sensibilities.....

Going out to find a copy now.

RunninL8 said...

Barak is merely kissing McCain goodbye as he heads toward the presidency. But McCain, that sneaky perv, is getting a little too upity.