George W. The Artist

Poor Dubya, can somebody please help him? I mean, I guess after being President 8 years and having delegated everything to Karl Rove, art is his only escape.  I mean George W, The Artist isn't so bad - I'm just curious about his state of mind.

Mind you, I have a few other things I wish to say, but I'll keep those to myself - out of respect for some of my dear friends. :-)

Get a perspective from Greg Allen after the jump...


Greg Allen, of greg.org, gives the ex-president's works a close reading.
 
I can't stop thinking about them, actually. And I've already sent the jpgs off to a Chinese paint mill to be copied.

The amazing thing is not just that they literally show Bush's own perspective—but that Bush is using the process of painting to show his own perspective. It's a level of self-reflection, even self-awareness, that seems completely at odds with his approach to governing. 

The choice of subject or situation is notable, too. These shower and bathtub moments are clearly moments when he is alone. (And naked, but whatever, the discomfort of contemplating that image outweighs any metaphorical usefulness.) I've been trying to construct the shower scene, and I think there must be a full mirror on the wall where the viewer is standing, the "fourth wall," if you will. The strong shadow on the bracket of the shower wall indicates early light, probably morning. But the sight lines from the shaving mirror to the body don't quite match up, and it's impossible to say whether that's intentional, unconscious, or his execution. In any case, these are moments where he's alone with himself and his head, that are significant enough to him to reproduce in paint. (Probably from memory, not photos. The perspective would be better if they were painted from photos.)