Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Three layers of cultural references convey the identity of the multicultural subject. The first layer, the bleeding flower, has been taken directly from a 1960's Cuban poster. The second layer refers to Soviet influences, symbolized by the word October and the use of geometrical abstract shapes, the off cut of Russian avangard and constructivism. The final layer alludes to the most irrational and violent aspects of American culture, irrationality and violence is a threat to be found in every human society. They all three layers form the palimpsest of the multicultural subject. Acrylic, marker and pencil on canvas, 72 x 92 inches. Oct-Nov. 2012. Note: The bleeding flower is a lift off from Alfredo Rostgaard's 1967 famous poster Cancion Protesta. Notice that in Rostgaard's original the flower symbolizes Cuba drawing a trace a blood from the enemy that dares to attack her. The same flower acquires a different meaning in my painting. In this case the flower still symbolizes Cuba, but the Cuba that has inflicted so much suffering on Cubans. Finally, the slight change in scale of the bleeding thorn makes the flower the aggressor rather than the victim.