President John F. Kennedy was assassinated fifty years ago in Dallas. Anyone my age can tell you exactly where they were when they got the news.
The Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford pairs two Kennedy artworks. On the left is Retroactive I, a 1964 oil and silkscreen by Robert Rauschenberg that includes a reference to the space race and a photo of Kennedy and his characteristic pointing gesture.
On the right is Bluewald (1989 - 90) by Cady Noland, a silkscreen on aluminum with fabric and wood. It is based on the newspaper photograph of Kennedy's assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, as he was shot by Jack Ruby.
I am old enough to remember where I was... In my humble opinion, this is not the way I would like to remeber JFK or even his murderer.
ReplyDeleteOne hundred new books about JFK have been published this year. Documentary running on Swedish TV since a few weeks.
ReplyDeleteBetween the two I would prefer the left. The one on the right is quite morbid.
ReplyDeleteHis death was years before my time.
So much work on him.
ReplyDeleteThere has been a blizzard of medic coverage this past week, which serves to remind us of the fragility of life.
ReplyDeleteThe two pieces of art which you photographed says it all.
You are so right! I remember it like it was yesterday.
ReplyDeletei'm with william, the one on the right is disturbing, but then i guess it's meant to be...i prefer the one on the left!
ReplyDeleteThese pieces are powerful, Jack.
ReplyDeleteWe have had a week of news coverage here in Canada about JFK who is still remembered by many.
I was too young to remember where I was but I do remember my mother crying. As a toddler that was quite disturbing.
ReplyDeleteSeems amazing to realize that it was half a century ago!
ReplyDeleteI posted too about Kennedy today!
ReplyDeleteAlready 50 years, can you believe it?!
I was in Dallas that day and I will never forget it! It was the nightmare of all nightmares. I, too, have trouble believing it's been 50 years ago!!
ReplyDelete50 years go by so quickly!
ReplyDeleteInteresting posting for today, Jack. I am not sure I like either of these two artworks but I do like tone in your post today and the comments.
ReplyDeleteOne big, blurry nightmare. Parked in front of the television sharing a national horror.
ReplyDeletewe were in dallas last december. we didnt do the "assassination tour" that was offered. such weird things people try to make money off...
ReplyDeleteim not so sure about the art! :)
The left image is interesting, but the image of Oswald is unpleasant...really as it was.
ReplyDeleteI often wonder how the world would be today, should he had completed his tenure as president...
ReplyDeleteGod bless you!
Cezar
I wonder if he would have lived up to the promise if it had not all happened as it did. I do still remember the day - I was at school, my first term at upper school, and the headteacher called us all in to the assembly hall to tell us the news. Not sure that, aged 11, I really took in the significance.
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