Tuesday, August 12, 2008

POLITICAL ICONOGRAPHY

Say what you will about Barack Obama - his Media Consulting and Design team sure knows their stuff.

By now everyone has seen what I call the “Posterized Obama,” with its bold, colorful graphics. For some reason, it reminded me of all those extremely progressive Big-Character Posters that used to be ginned out by the millions in China. You know: the ones depicting the Happy Peasants Tilling the Fields...or the Standing Worker, Clutching His Tool While Resolutely Facing the Rising Sun of Progress. In its proper context, this type of imagery can be pretty inspiring.

Diego Rivera, noted Mexican artist and Communist, made a career out of painting murals of this sort. Much of his stuff dates from when the American left was still in love with Stalinism. Sweet.

It’s as good a time as any to confess that I am an avowed Marxist. Been that way ever since my college days.


Marxism

Groucho. My man.

Yep. Powerful stuff. Maybe too powerful...for it occurs to me that this powerful Political Iconography could be twisted to further the Nefarious Purposes of certain sick individuals...

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