New Work; Zoot Suits and Carey McWilliams

The Situation
image size 12" x 16" matted to 16" x 20"
acrylic painted papers on wc paper

Anyone else out there plagued by indecision and self doubt? Yes? Oh, good. I was worried it was just me!

The above piece was finished today. The black, gray and white scenario with some color added was a challenge for me. The contrasts are so strong but the neutrals are a good foil, in my opinion, for the more saturated color. I aim for restraint!

Subject Matter:

Embracing the idea of what you want to make, no matter what, seems to be the rule of thumb for me these days. The above piece is based on an essay that I read by Carey McWilliams, journalist and activist, now deceased.  Many considered him to be a Socialist, and many thought he was a Communist. He wrote and worked during much of the twentieth century, his work touching on many subjects, both political and social. What held my attention this time was an essay he wrote about the Zoot Suit riots which occurred in 1943 in Los Angeles, during the War. L.A. became a microcosm for the rest of the country which experienced similar rioting against immigrants and other marginalized members of society. I have been learning about the history of California and Los Angeles in particular, which I know nothing about. (If you don't know anything about your own state's history, check it out.) This essay fits in with a lot of what I have been learning. 

****Rich just walked into the studio and said that the people were asleep, standing on some cobblestones with a chalkboard in the background. It doesn't pay to take yourself seriously around here. Read on!

As far as the symbols that I selected, I'll just say that I tried to choose things that I  thought might represent some ideas and facts: people, clothing, authority figures, night and day, taxi cabs, and the ubiquitous presence of the sun/moon. I tried to select shapes that might also reference the letters L and A. The title itself refers to what politicians and authority figures termed the "problems" in Los Angeles at the time. It was  "the situation" that was spiraling out of control.

I really am not making a pointed statement about anything. And I am sure this piece won't appeal to people. But I made it. I would add too that I never purposefully try to offend people. Honestly, I just don't. But, I end up doing it sometimes. The original subject matter that this piece is based on is serious and painful still to this day. We still have the same social problems as we did in 1943. I don't know what to say about that and I surely don't pretend to understand it. But I wanted to make a piece about what I learned. That has to be OK. 

I sure hope everyone had a good week. Thanks for reading and commenting.

Libby