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Forum nameGeneral Discussion
Topic subjectlooks like a combo of classic styles and cultural overlap/juxtaposition
Topic URLhttp://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=4&topic_id=13233778&mesg_id=13234112
13234112, looks like a combo of classic styles and cultural overlap/juxtaposition
Posted by Atillah Moor, Tue Feb-13-18 09:14 AM
The men do look “effeminate” in the sense that

1. It was en vogue in the classical era for men of status to be more “beautiful” in appearance akin to a woman. Something seen among representations of European, Asian, ancient Egyptian, etc. royalty.

So to me the connection is comparing black men who are seen largely as thugs in American society as royalty and beautiful

2. For the reclined poses again it looks like a callback to reneissance era and later portraits of what is called “odalisque (sp?)” the reclining nude white woman (and its variations) are born of the white slave trade to Europe, Africa, and Middle/Far East. Playboys are/were ”modern” day odalisques (the readily available white slave girl aka the girl next door)

The artist appears to have flipped the subject from classically enslaved white woman with whom one could have their way to the modern enslaved black male with whom any white authority could have the same

Honestly the Obama painting is pretty subtle by comparison. I didn’t quite get the messaging of the artist until I saw these others

Interesting lecture on the subject
https://youtu.be/8iZDapgQdFo