393 The All American Girl 2 9x12 copy

Comment

Comment by Resident Curator on July 7, 2020 at 10:38am

Curator’s Comments:

 

393 The All American Girl is an intriguing image. Seemingly constructed from several different photographic sources, the resulting picture is both seamless and multi-faceted. As a part of your Iconic Americana portfolio, the mixed media piece somewhat humorously provides a campy line-up of Western women performers.  Despite the sepia toned palette, the added gestural lines and scribbled linear contours impart a contemporary and animated feel to the scene. The smiling expressions of the row of women also activates a retro-70’s feel, as if they’re having fun at caricature of the older, and more perhaps severe Wild West.  The centralized bra-clad figure controls the space with her lasso, and invites a slightly fetishized read into her gear. But her averted gaze also subdues this otherwise dominant activity.  I find the combination of subjects and metaphors for feminine archetypes quite fascinating, for there are layered and nostalgic references to multiple idealized, and iconic past eras.