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The
following statement was written for an open studio tour in September,
2005:
The
welfare of the people is the greatest law--
salus populi suprema lex est
Shouldn't
this be the political rallying cry of a reborn populist party in this
country post-New Orleans? Individuals suffer—alone and collectively—and
individuals will lead: this past August was a month commanded by Cindy
Sheehan, truth made eloquent by a mother and her grief, and mendacity
took a vacation (long overdue, of course).
The main character in this painting wears the cap of liberty, the Phrygian
cap—symbol of emancipation given to freed Roman slaves, popular
insignia of the French Revolution, you can find it on the seal and flag
of New York state. He seems beaten, frightened or anxious, a reluctant,
tentative leader, but he sees a way forward and points to it (and how
can he not, having three eyes). Only a few wounded souls follow him now,
but even this motely handful are enough to start the march to something
better.
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