The Obamas recently acquired a variety of art works with which to decorate the White House.
Let’s see how well you know your art.
Below you will find a picture of one of the new White House works, followed by two possible titles. See if you can pick the right one.
Good luck!
Ed Ruscha (1983)
A) I Think I’ll…
B) Afghanistan Policy
*****
Richard Diebenkorn (1955)
A) Berkeley no. 52
B) Refrigerator Reject
*****
Josef Albers (1961)
A) Homage to the Square: Elected II
B) It’s Art Because It’s Off-Center
*****
Nicolas De Stael (1954)
A) Nice
B) “A White Guy, An Indian, And A Black Guy Walk Into A Bar…”
*****
Glenn Ligon (1992)
[The phrase “All traces of the Griffin I had been were wiped from existence,” repeats in all caps on the canvas, slowly overlapping until the words disappear into black.]
A) Black Like Me #2
B) “No Beer And No TV Make Homer… something something”
*****
Edgar Degas (c. 1896-1911, cast 1919-32)
A) The Bow
B) Pinched One Off
*****
Alma Thomas (1963)
A) Watusi (Hard Edge)
B) South Park: Cutting Room Floor
*****
Alma Thomas (1973)
A) Sky Light
B) Currier & Ives & Blender
*****
George Catlin (c. 1861-69)
A) A Foot War Party in Council – Mandan
B) No Squaw, No Firewater
*****
George Catlin (c. 1861-69)
A) Buffalo Chase, With Accidents
B) Shouldn’t Have Been Texting
*****
Winslow Homer (1875)
A) Sunset Beaching The Boat
B) A Boat Full Of His Promises
*****
Sam Francis (1960)
A) The White Line
B) Zamboni Accident
*****
William H. Johnson (c. 1944)
A) Children Dance
B) “Braaaaaainssss…”
*****
William H. Johnson (c. 1944)
A) Flower to Teacher
B) When Cousins Marry
*****
William H. Johnson (c. 1944)
A) Folk Family
B) Velcro Dress
*****
William H. Johnson (c. 1944-45)
A) Booker T. Washington Legend
B) “You lie!”
UPDATE 10-11-09 – In the comments, Aletha (who has an art blog and some talent) defended some of the artists I picked on, and I admit that not all of them deserved skewering, but I *really* have to disagree on Diebenkorn. Art is the selective recreation of reality according to the artist’s values. Diebenkorn worked very hard for a long time to paint… nothing.
He went out of his way for hours, days, weeks… to create something with no specific meaning.
Even Michael Moore (whose soul is an appalling dump heap, overflowing with the most disgraceful assortment of rubbish imaginable, mangled up in tangled-up knots) doesn’t do that.
Anyway, here’s some good art to cleanse your palate (caution: may contain artistic nudity). I think you’ll be able to see the difference between what THEY think is important and what Diebenkorn values.