Blogosphere aghast! Again. The last time I used this phrase Pluto had just been demoted, this time, the situation is about as grave. This week’s New Yorker cover depicts every right wing attack imaginable and is already illiciting outcry. In Barry Blitt’s illustration, Barack Obama, a muslim, teams up with his military garb wearing wife Michelle in the Oval office to burn the American flag under a picture of Osama bin Laden. It’s the most obviously satirical image an artist could put together, and anyone with an ounce of sense can identify this. Of course, most PR people will tell you such pieces aren’t much help to the campaign since acknowledging idiocy lends legitimacy where there is none. The practice seems vaguely related to labeling the inconsequential chatter inspired by the illustration as proof of artistic merit. Nobody’s done this yet, but frankly, I can’t imagine it not coming up, since it’s one of those “arguments” that never goes away; certainly it’s easier to use that than actually thinking about the work.
Speaking of which, while Barry Blitt’s art work isn’t bad, it also isn’t the most sophisticated or visually compelling illustration I’ve seen on the front page of the New Yorker. I don’t think the illustration achieves much by way of humor, and the half rendered Barack Obama eye is completely distracting. In short, it’s a slow news week for everyone; neither the art work, nor its political message is worth much of anything.
Related:
Rachel Sklar on Barry Blitt’s New Yorker cover image
Nico Pitney on Barry Blitt’s New Yorker cover image
Kate Frettland on Barry Blitt’s New Yorker cover image
Daily Kos on Barry Blitt’s New Yorker cover image + OMFG, WTF???
UPDATE: Tom Moody thinks the cover is racist.


