I recently received a six by nine inch envelope with the title: 2021 WHITE HOUSE COMMEMORATIVE PRINT in the upper left-hand corner. On the back a faux handwritten note cautioned, ‘artwork enclosed -- do not bend!’
Regular readers will be aware I’ve been out early about the resurgence of visual art as a major influence on the mentality of the world of tomorrow, and suddenly it’s today. Inside was a piece of quality card stock with a rendering of the white house, an image five and a half by four and quarter, and it was cleverly dated with the addition of two german shepherds standing at attention on the lawn.
The letter said, ‘This vibrant painting was commissioned by the Democratic National Committee from renowned artist Dan Kessler. It captures what I feel is the essence of the White House, that is now reinstated as a symbol of our enduring democracy. When looking at this beautiful print of the White House, please remember.........‘ and it goes on.
It probably was a pretty nice painting with a greater sense of contrast and depth, but at four by five inches it’s more of a smudge and a mite trite. It’s accompanied by an engraved ‘certificate of authenticity,’ which states, ‘This certificate hereby confirms the authenticity of the accompanying limited-edition fine art print. This print is an authentic reproduction of the original work of art. This image is a special limited edition commissioned by the Democratic National Committee.’
That's a lot of fluff for a postcard but it’s just a baby step, why make fun? Someone, actually a whole committee, decided the way to grasp the minds of their voters and focus their attention was by using original art, in this case several times removed, and then ask them for support. It was a brilliant notion poorly translated in a mass-mailing, but the impulse is based on a solid premonition. The significance of visual art in realigning our sense of connection and community is just around the corner.
No comments:
Post a Comment