Pax Americana

After the inauguration of George Bush in January, 2001, the calls for war against Saddam Hussein, President of Iraq, started to take force. His robust rhetoric about the infamous Weapons of Mass Destruction, and the supposed connection between Hussein and Osama Bin Laden, kept escalating. From the beginning, Bush and his cronies were bent of going to war under whatever excuse -even though there was a strong worldwide opposition to his militaristic ambitions. Millions of people throughout the world demonstrated against his plan for war.

In this painting, Pax Americana, I vent my frustration at the situation and disbelieve that in the XXI century we could go to war based on false premises, and mostly for the economic gain of a few. I represent the image of Bush as a macho-man bent on utilizing force to carry on his militaristic agenda. He has a quite small head signifying he has shown minimal intelligence in dealing with the situation. He is naked (as in the ‘Emperor has no Clothes’) except for an ill-fitting military jacket that represents him as the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Forces -yet it is doubtful that he ever carried his military duties. His enlarged muscles and penis signify his macho attitude. He is stepping on the United Nations Council Resolution 1441 against the war, showing his disregard to the world community. On his right hand he has an upside down U.S. flag while the left is crushing an also upside down world.

I carried the painting, 8’ x 4’, in a special cart throughout the streets of Vancouver, B. C., in all the demonstrations against the war. At the end of the marches, the painting was placed outside the Vancouver Art Gallery where the peace rallies ended.

During the World Peace Forum, Vancouver, BC, June 2006, I took ‘Pax Americana’ to Sunset Beach where the Peace Rally took place.

Acrylic on canvas
92” x 52”