The Revelation of Bettie Page (2018)
Sex and Religion
In this painting a revelation is included. I worked out some grand themes: the relation between sex and religion and its inner contradiction. As to this sex is symbolized by Bettie Page, pin-up from the first hour and advocate, in spite of her self, of a sexual revolution avant la lettre. In the 1950s many had her pictures hidden under the bed but nobody wanted to admit to it. The tournedos on her leg says: Everyone wants a piece of Bettie. I once read that many of her softcore SM flirtations were staged in ordinary and boring living rooms. Thus neat and bourgeouis people could relate to them very easily but secretly behind closed doors.
Extremism
The way anglo-sakson culture obviously works is that in the long run sexual freedom gets bogged down in extremism like porn, symbolized by the vibrator, HP sauce (libertatem Industria) and the fleshy quality of the tournedos, bacon and baked egg. The latter is a symbol for the soul in many cultures. Who discovered the ‘blasted tower’ and my self portrait in the painting yet?
What I find very peculiar is that the United States of America is the inventor of modern porn and at the same time holds so many religious zealots. The question is: do these zealots consume porn as well or perhaps in abudance? In this respect, does this constitute a contradiction or are these extremes just two sides of one coin?
Alice in Wonderland
Alice in Wonderland crawded out of the rabbit hole and with her childlike innocence is about to discover all those delicacies. She is the only one laughing in the painting, still being cheerful and in the beginning of her life to unfold. The abstract cartoon-style I derived from Walt Disney’s movie adds to the alineation the painting should induce.
American Gothic
Eventually we all are nothing but mating rabbits (to the left behind her). Grant Wood’s couple from American Gothic seems to confirm this. The man points his accusing finger to the spectator: Where do you stand? He holds a pool
In this painting a revelation is included. I worked out some grand themes: the relation between sex and religion and its inner contradiction. As to this sex is symbolized by Bettie Page, pin-up from the first hour and advocate, in spite of her self, of a sexual revolution avant la lettre. In the 1950s many had her pictures hidden under the bed but nobody wanted to admit to it. The tournedos on her leg says: Everyone wants a piece of Bettie. I once read that many of her softcore SM flirtations were staged in ordinary and boring living rooms. Thus neat and bourgeouis people could relate to them very easily but secretly behind closed doors.
Extremism
The way anglo-sakson culture obviously works is that in the long run sexual freedom gets bogged down in extremism like porn, symbolized by the vibrator, HP sauce (libertatem Industria) and the fleshy quality of the tournedos, bacon and baked egg. The latter is a symbol for the soul in many cultures. Who discovered the ‘blasted tower’ and my self portrait in the painting yet?
What I find very peculiar is that the United States of America is the inventor of modern porn and at the same time holds so many religious zealots. The question is: do these zealots consume porn as well or perhaps in abudance? In this respect, does this constitute a contradiction or are these extremes just two sides of one coin?
Alice in Wonderland
Alice in Wonderland crawded out of the rabbit hole and with her childlike innocence is about to discover all those delicacies. She is the only one laughing in the painting, still being cheerful and in the beginning of her life to unfold. The abstract cartoon-style I derived from Walt Disney’s movie adds to the alineation the painting should induce.
American Gothic
Eventually we all are nothing but mating rabbits (to the left behind her). Grant Wood’s couple from American Gothic seems to confirm this. The man points his accusing finger to the spectator: Where do you stand? He holds a pool
$6,000,000.00