The artistic musings of one Philip Burke

1. Description- Dick Cheney and George W. Bush

     I decided to combine these two paintings because they go so well together and a discussion of one without the other just seems wrong.

     On the left is former Vice President  Dick Cheney. He is hunched over, his mouth open and drooping, his whole face twisted into a diabolical snarl. It looks like he is growling. He is dressed in a black jacket and a white shirt and he is doing something with his hands. On the right is his boss, President George W. Bush. He is dressed like a Hollywood cowboy, complete with a white shirt, white hat and a scarf around his neck. He is holding a tiny pistol in his right hand.

Dick Cheney and George W Bush (2005 and 2014 respectively)
By Philip Burke
Oil on canvas

Formal analysis 

     The use of caricature and exaggeration is very evident in the two paintings. Using bold lines and subtle tones, the artist manages to create vibrant and full characters that suffocate the canvas with nothing more than their physical presence. There is a coarseness and roughness in the overall texture of the paintings that makes the subjects jump out at the viewer as if they are silhouetted against a window or a doorway. However, that silhouette is so dominant it sucks away any depth that might otherwise be there. 

      As with most caricatures, there is hardly any sense of balance or symmetry in the paintings and whatever illusion of space may have been intended is quickly surpassed by the assertiveness of the subjects' poses. Any movement Cheney has seems to be that created by a nervous and tense energy, as if he is about to pound his fist against something while the wary twitchy look surrounding Bush is that of a coiled spring.

Bracketing

     On Cheney, the twisted snarly look, the hunched back, the head that pokes out of the shoulders like a stuffed bear's head mounted on a wall all remind me of an ogre. Or maybe a mean old man whose every other words are “get off my lawn!” I am also reminded of Jekyll and Hyde particular when I look at the wedding band on his finger. This small detail which can be easily lost in the overall picture, suggests that somewhere deep inside this character is capable of love and concern and is perhaps much more complex than is being let on.

     On the other hand, Bush reminds me of a character from a Saturday morning cartoon, an amiable gunslinger who fancies himself the fastest gun in the west. One Lucky Luke comes to mind. That this character is pretentious and naive (he is dressed to the nines but carries a peashooter) is a testament to his overall harmlessness.

Interpretation 

     Cheney is clearly intended to look as sinister and as evil as possible without having to draw a pair of pointy little horns on his head. The droop on his face suggests anger and a constant need to put forward an image of uncompromising viciousness. The ring on his finger could be speaking to his conservative family values. The lack of a tie and a suit could also be an attempt by the artist to project the kind of blue collar image that politicians are always to trying to project while the flag pin on his lapel is a shout-out to patriotism.

     Bush on the other hand is being mocked through the childish way he is dressed. He is depicted as a throwback to the lawless and bygone era of the wild west. Again, the size of that gun says it all. Here he is seen as a feckless idiot playing, perhaps, a game of cowboys and Indians.

     I don’t know if the two paintings are made to be displayed side by side but there is something about the way Bush seems to be looking over at Cheney as if to say “calm down, Dick old boy.”

     Seen together, the two paintings offer a fascinating glimpse of two men who forever changed the course of history, but they do so in a way that raises disturbing questions on whether this is an instance of life imitating art or the other way around.

2. Description- Andy Warhol 

     The subject is a blond man dressed in a green long-sleeved top with what appears to be a red scarf around his neck. He is looking directly in front of him and seems to be engaged in conversation with someone.

Andy Warhol (1984)
By Philip Burke
Oil on canvas

Formal analysis 

     This is a realistic painting that uses natural hues in a lively and convincing manner to bring out softness and even tenderness in the subject. The harmonious brush strokes coupled with the flatness and mellow feel of the green suggests a hint of informality and quiet calm that makes the man in the painting appear at once subdued and sharp all at the same time.      

     There is also a sense of balance in the background brought about by the dark shadow on the left and the yellowish tinge on the right. There is an overall brightness to the painting which is accentuated by the detailed features of the face. The form and shape of Warhol is well defined with just a tiny hint of caricature and exaggeration about him.

Bracketing 

     The painting says nothing else other than Andy Warhol. From the hair, which looks unkempt and yet is somehow exactly how it is supposed to look, to the quiet inner torture that seems to be burning behind the eyes, to the crossed arms that speak of the quiet confidence of a man who knows he has achieved immortality: there is nothing in the painting that calls out for any other interpretation. I see no symbols, no metaphors, no allegories. Just Andy Warhol. But if I try hard enough, I am tempted to say that maybe his hand does look a little too small, childlike perhaps, maybe even inconsequential.

Interpretation 

      I think all Philip Burke wanted to say was: “here is Andy, unpretentious and as real as real can be.” This is a homage presented by Burke, (who in 1982) was probably still trying to find his way in the world), to another great artist whose place in the world borders on the mythical. I very much doubt that Burke meant this to be anything other than a salute, a bow perhaps, to an icon who was so far beyond the reach of flattery. The best Burke could do was to depict Warhol in the same light he too would like to be depicted someday: as a giant painted by another giant.

3. Description- Philip Burke Self Portrait

     This is a painting of a young bespectacled man sitting on the ground with his arms clasped in front of him. He is wearing what appears to be blue jeans and a black long sleeved cardigan or tee shirt. His hair looks wild and he is spotting a thin mustache, He is staring intently to his right.

Formal analysis 

Self portrait (1982)
By Philip Burke
Oil on panel

     In this self portrait, Burke uses his usual caricature style to make a representational painting that is fairly devoid of bright colors or much movement. The tone is flat and even dull and lacks the garishness that accompanies many of his paintings. The portrait is dominated by the inquisitive look the subject, with his head and upper body tilted to the side in what appears to be an expression mild surprise. The brush strokes are broad, with contrast (especially on the face) brought out by the use of different brownish tones. The light is coming from the front and throws a small shadow behind the subject offering the suggestion that this painting is set in a smallish room.        
     The closeness of Burke to the viewer does offer a certain intimacy made more intense by the way he seems to be avoiding eye contact, and it is this look that draws the most attention. There is certainly very little movement suggested but the sense of distance, (not physical but emotional) in that pout and angular faraway look invites the viewer to turn their head in solidarity.

Bracketing 

     I see a whiff of rebelliousness, hesitation and that slight lack of confidence one can expect to see in a young man who is unsure of himself. This is exactly the type of portrait I would expect a budding genius to make because it is so reflective of its maker. In the lack of any meaningful exaggeration in this self examination, I see a person who wants to be taken seriously by those he meets and yet wants to retain a certain measure of informality about him. To me, this painting is the story of youth at a crossroads: on one side there is raw talent that screams to be exploited and on the other hand there looms a worry that things don’t always work out as planned.

Interpretation 

     It is not so much what Burke is trying to say in this self-portrait that I find fascinating. It is what he seems to be asking: who am I? In this painting he is clearly on a search for self-definition. So for example, the wild mop of hair on his head is certainly not there by accident, he meant for it to be look that way. When he poses himself on the floor with his arms clasped like they are, he just wants to appear cool, humble and unhurried. Those glasses may say I don’t always fit in but when I do I just take over.