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Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Visual Art / 2008 Currently Hanging

Posted by Jen Graves on Tue, Dec 2, 2008 at 1:03 PM

^{Deborah Lawrence's Christmas ornament: Yes, that is Jim McDermott's face.}

At the White House, on the tree!

Laura Bush selected the Seattle artist's ornament for her Christmas tree display. She probably didn't read the small print, according to the Washington Post, which tells of McDermott's support for an effort to impeach Laura's husband.

(Thanks for the tip, Ruby Reusable.)

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Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

Things move quickly out there...

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/reliabl…
/2008/12/ornament_update.html

Currently NOT hanging.

Posted by jimk on December 2, 2008 at 1:06 PM

Also story hitting MSNBC right about now.

Posted by artlover on December 2, 2008 at 1:17 PM

can't say i'm surprised that it isn't getting hung on the tree. can't say i'm disappointed in laura bush deciding that. can't say i'm disappointed in the artist using the opportunity to make a political statement.

Posted by brad on December 2, 2008 at 6:53 PM

Oh, Brad! Don't be such a stuffed shirt!

p.s. maybe Laura is sick to death with Dubya, too.

Posted by La Lezebel From Jezebel on December 2, 2008 at 7:26 PM

There are a lot of crazies out there (Washington Post readers, apparently) who are virtually stoning Deborah (a blatantly political artist and activist) for her ornament that she was ASKED to make. It's not as though she pretended to be a Donald Judd and then pulled a fast one on the first lady with this politically collaged ornament. I hope this story grows and grows....

Posted by Susanna Bluhm on December 2, 2008 at 8:00 PM

It was a dick move by the artist. She shouldn't be surprised that her ornament was rejected. What is her next ornament for the Next White House going to be? Something racist about Obama?

Posted by elswinger on December 2, 2008 at 10:17 PM

@5 - This story has kinda exploded. If you google "Deborah Lawrence White House" there are about 200 articles out there about it.

@6 - she did say she was surprised they accepted it.

Posted by gooseteeth on December 2, 2008 at 10:23 PM

The biggest offense of this is the lack of subtlety and, well, artistry. It is a damn ugly object and very literal. Ugly and literal are about as blunt as a skin disease. This seems like an appropriate aesthetic to bring to bare on W, BUT hardly speaks to the artists skills of seduction or well art. This object looks like something someone made at school to bring home to their liberal parents. One of the weird things about the cultural production related to the W's term in office is that I suspect many of the lauded, hard hitting works of art and documentaries that came out during these last several years -- when the ugly literal truth had to be said -- will become dated. This is perhaps the power of the system. A roll over in the faces of government every four to eight years that makes our old problems not our new problems but seem to be our outdated problems. The biggest crime of this ornament is that it is outdated. It is using the style that was in fashion last year -- when infantile, blunt outrage seemed the only option for the left. Now infantile, blunt outrage or well, the truth, is passe. Now that is a hat trick. And makes this ugly ornament not only ugly but out of style.

Posted by Chuck Close on December 3, 2008 at 7:02 AM

One look at that ugly Seattle lesbian who made it should tell you all you need to know.

Posted by Ugly Seattle Lesbians Everywhere on December 3, 2008 at 9:21 AM

The "artist" looks like she belongs on the short bus (just like tons of other people in and around Seattle).

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/photos/pho…

Posted by Seattle is full of RETARDS on December 3, 2008 at 11:54 AM

The artist's re-appropriation of contemporary Northwest's arts and crafts culture surprised me. The object lacked any sign of imagination beyond its basic shape and utilitarian use. Most striking is the fact that McDermott's office stated that it was surprised by the contents of the ornament.

Posted by Jill Conner on December 3, 2008 at 6:59 PM