[razzlephrat]

What's next?

As I said in the previous thread, let's keep the political discussion in reference to the painting. You guys know your bounds.


Scott's latest piece:



Discuss.

[SPA]

The painting just amazes me. It's loud, and shouts frustration -- I vision Scott being filled with anxiety and maybe a little bit of anger, with a lot of energy. Even though the green and light blue are soft colors, there isn't anything soft about this painting. To me it screams to "pay attention" "listen to me and this!!" And in a way, it parallels to his saying "give peace a chance", just like Lennon -- love one another. I hope we get to see more, and possibly a little softer in meaning -- probably not though. It seems he's using his art to "shout" because when he verbalizes, he's very soft spoken. Opposites.....


Thanx for the new thread, Razzle. Maybe this will work better.

[Tarty History]

So, we are moving the discussion over here.

You guys know your bounds.

Actually Razzle, Tarty and 'bounds' have not been formally introduced, which I am pretty sure most folks here already know. Not to worry, I will consult my Funk & Wagnalls to get acquainted with the concept. Go ahead and exhale, it will be okay. I will toe the line, and keep it related to the painting.

NGNM:

Oh yeah, and at the time and many times since, the word that gets repeated in my mind is "obscene" (Don't have time to get into the many, many connections), so it's no wonder that this painting resonated with me immediately. I would nominate GW Bush as "Judge Mulligan--on every hole."

NGNM, ITA! Judge Mulligan...my thoughts exactly.

As far as the wild-eyed face on the red portion of Scott's painting, it does appear muzzled, likely referring to people not speaking up or just not being heard.

Still finding new parts every time I look at the painting. For instance, are those initials along the tall figure on the left lower side of the painting?? And one hand is holding an arrow, is the other hand holding a 'branch' of some sort?

Pondering...

[razzlephrat]

The face looks like that talking monkey from a cartoon and I can't remember which one.

[KbatMO]

Originally Posted by Tarty History (View Post) NGNM, ITA! Judge Mulligan...my thoughts exactly. As far as the wild-eyed face on the red portion of Scott's painting, it does appear muzzled, likely referring to people not speaking up or just not being heard. Still finding new parts every time I look at the painting. For instance, are those initials along the tall figure on the left lower side of the painting?? And one hand is holding an arrow, is the other hand holding a 'branch' of some sort? Pondering...

Judge Milligan- ITA (and baby makes three!) The face - the mouth crossed out - ITA -cannot be heard. Left lower side - I can't make out the first word - but then I think it says it says "---- pixels per sq. in." Agree that 1 hand has an arrow ... in the other, I have no idea! Also - under each arm of the tall figure - there's a letter ... looks like D. and L.?? Anyone have any ideas there?
Under the large P H toward the top left - it says "Holy moly"(!)

Now that you mention it, the face is reminiscent of "Julius the monkey" by Paul Frank (here's a link to the image)
WELCOME TO PAUL FRANK INDUSTRIES

Or a cross between Julius and Homer Simpson portraying Hannibal Lecter from "Silence of the Lambs"??

As far as the other two canvases - oh I doubt those are bowls of apples or seascapes!! The only thing I noticed is that vs. the one we see - where the top 1/3 is mostly green and bottom's red orange ... from the one side we can see - one of them is all red orange, while the other is all lime green and cyanide blue. Of course they could be split vertically instead of horizontally as this one is. The other thing - on the 2 we can't see ... I noticed the way he's painted exactly 1/2 way around the edges - almost in a straight line ... very meticulous!!!!!

I just went back to the previous thread ... bummed that NGNM's busy all weekend! From her last post, she talked about the big face above and the big face below and remarked, "Everyone loses." That is the big pic - in a nutshell!!!!!!!!!
Tarty - When I read your "Good night and good luck" I was too tired to write any more ... but I loved it!!! Almost as much as "Tarty and 'bounds' have not been formally introduced...." (So why start now? ) Well I don't know if any of the "political" comments above and from the end of the last thread are aimed at me even in part - way too oblique for me. As no one has addressed me directly, I'm going to assume not. This is an overtly anti-war painting and that's not surprising from a man who mentions "peace" - often. To the extent that war is what the U.S. government's waging at this time - okay - it's political ... but outside of that, I don't see it that way. I wouldn't have thought of Justice Scale and Justice Mulligan and golf if it weren't for Recount in small part (coincidentally) ... but the word SUPREMES in big letters on the top right - for the greatest part. And "Judge Sand Trap" just struck me as the mire we're stuck in - in the middle east generally and Iraq specifically. Amazing just linguistically - how many metaphors he got out of golf! It's like a Cole Porter song!

razzle - your avi's not lookin' very happy today.....

[razzlephrat]

Originally Posted by KbatMO (View Post) Or a cross between Julius and Homer Simpson portraying Hannibal Lecter from "Silence of the Lambs"??

Karen, your mind is amazing, how you know all these things I'll never know!

[KbatMO]

Thx?!

When I joined FF I said - and I'll continue to say ... SP fans are the nicest, the smartest, and the coolest ... in other words, the best!!!

[razzlephrat]

Originally Posted by KbatMO (View Post) Thx?! When I joined FF I said - and I'll continue to say ... SP fans are the nicest, the smartest, and the coolest ... in other words, the best!!!

I agree too!

We're small, but we are mighty!

[Tarty History]

(So why start now? )

The vast interpretation possibilities of Scott's painting let me conform to the 'bounds' with no concession whatsoever. Did I forget to mention that?
I can easily relate anything I need to say back to his painting. No problemo. Scott left that door wide open, in my opinion. (Is your eye twitching yet, NoGods? )


Back to business. I think safe zone and Sony refer to watching the war from the comfort of our homes, with the ability to be detached and unaffected.

Do the arrows stuck in the 'not a butterfly' B-52 signify the disparity between the bombs being dropped and the ability of the people on the ground to defend themselves? arrows (antiquated) vs continuous bombs ??

Also, the D. and L. initials. Haven't figured that one out yet. Hmmm....

[razzlephrat]

Originally Posted by Tarty History (View Post) Also, the D. and L. initials. Haven't figured that one out yet. Hmmm....

Reverse those letters

LD

Originally Posted by KbatMO (View Post) razzle - your avi's not lookin' very happy today.....

Sorry, I'll bring back my happy happy avi. I was just inspired by the GG episodeathon/chatathon.

[Pasadora]

Originally Posted by razzlephrat (View Post) Reverse those letters LD

Now, that took me a while to figure it out.. but awwwww...

[razzlephrat]

Originally Posted by Pasadora (View Post) Now, that took me a while to figure it out.. but awwwww...

Hey I don't know what you're thinking, but I was thinking Lucky Duck.

[Pasadora]

Yeah, me too.

[Nogodsnomasters]

Actually Razzle, Tarty and 'bounds' have not been formally introduced, which I am pretty sure most folks here already know.

Who is this "Bounds" you speak of Tarty?

Scott left that door wide open, in my opinion. (Is your eye twitching yet, NoGods? )

Gee, what does, like, 'twitch' like, um, like mean?

Back to business. I think safe zone and Sony refer to watching the war from the comfort of our homes, with the ability to be detached and unaffected. Do the arrows stuck in the 'not a butterfly' B-52 signify the disparity between the bombs being dropped and the ability of the people on the ground to defend themselves? arrows (antiquated) vs continuous bombs ??

Man, I should be trying to get through and grade a stack of projects right now, but I can't help myself. Just when I think I'm out, they pull me back in. Actually, Michael C., SP's art has also pulled me in; I can't stop thinking about it. I especially can't stop wondering about the dichotomy of a Huxley (control through pleasure/distraction) vs. Orwell (tyrannical repression) interpretation of the painting. At first thought, the upper part is the Huxley vision while the lower represents Orwell. After all, the muzzled face in the upper left side (near "oil porn") has nearly faded into the background. The eyes are closed or glazed over like a person under the influence of soma (the govt. issued drug from Brave New World) thereby freeing up the Supremes and other 'masters of the universe' to gamble and play golf as they pursue power, money, golf, and the "LADIES" without interference.

I think that's important and deliberate from Scott, but the more I think about it, the more each part/vision of the painting (the red and the green) become alike. At least as I thought about it, our (western) society is more Orwellian than I was thinking. Doublespeak is so rampant, it goes by virtually unnoticed. Here is Orwell's definition of it from the novel:

The power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them . . . . To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has become inconvenient, and then, when it becomes necessary again, to draw it back from oblivion for just so long as it is needed, to deny the existence of objective reality and all the while to take account of the reality which one denies — all this is indispensably necessary. Even in using the word doublethink it is necessary to exercise doublethink. For by using the word one admits that one is tampering with reality; by a fresh act of doublethink one erases this knowledge; and so on indefinitely, with the lie always one leap ahead of the truth.

This plays on F. Scott Fitzgerald's famous quote about what it means to have a first rate intellect, but I digress...There are SO many examples of the above definition of doublespeak going today, I hardly need to provide one but I can't resist: They hate us for our freedoms...now here's a little something called The Patriot Act...

Who knows? Maybe this is the focus of one of the other paintings.

BTW, The "Ladies" quote reminds me of a funny bit by Demetri Martin about how if you want to sound like a creep, just add the word "ladies" to everything you say. See for yourself (about 1:50 into the clip):
YouTube - Demetri Martin

Scott, wherever you are, thanks for inspiring me look up and reread my old friends Aldous and George, even though I'll probably get fired soon for missing some serious deadlines. Can't resist a few more quotes from good old, George Orwell (may he lose his relevancy one day.):

"Every war when it comes, or before it comes, is represented not as a war but as an act of self-defense against a homicidal maniac."

To some, Scott's artwork may seem primitive or juvenile--the kind of thing a kid could produce in grade school. I think they are missing the point. Sometimes, art is about aesthetics, but not always (pink word in brackets is from me, the rest by George Orwell):

"The aim of a joke(painting) is not to degrade the human being, but to remind him that he is already degraded."

[Tarty History]

Who is this "Bounds" you speak of Tarty?

Who is "Bounds"? No one you know, NGNM. I made his acquaintance a few days ago…quite a distasteful fellow. Won’t be seeing him again.

Work has been strangling me lately for time, but I am feeling the Corleonesque pull too. I keep going back to Scott’s painting. There is so much going on there. Feels good to let the mind wander!

I am not bringing much to the discussion table today, but I believe the “Ladies” refer to queens in poker. It reads “I call”, “Aces, king high”, “Ladies” as in a pair of queens or possibly 3 or 4 queens, then “Threes…(can’t make out the rest). Three players showing their hands. Since I cannot figure out what is written after “Threes”, I am not sure if there is a meaning specific to the threes or a random card number to simply illustrate time to “show” your cards. The 'reveal'.

I still cannot figure out the light blue wording in the red area of the painting along the right side. Has anyone figured out what it says?? It is not clear enough when I try to enlarge it. I think “gas” is the second word from the bottom, but otherwise not sure. Curiouser and curiouser!