Like most of America I have seen the Bernie Sanders memes flying around ever since the inauguration. The image of Bernie was uniquely iconic. I am not sure the exact factors that make something iconic but I know it when I see it. Icons are weird little things that can stand on their own as a thing. To my mind, the picture is not Bernie Sanders sitting in the cold but a symbol of a time, kind of like a zeitgeist.
Once the image became an object in my noisy messy mind, I wanted to create something with it. In the last few days, I have been inching my way through the whole music catalog of the Velvet Underground. I think that put me in a Warhol mood. In that frame, the photo of Bernie needed some “Poparting up.” (I can make up words, too. Looking at you Shakespeare.)
I have a disease that I want to put everything on a t-shirt. The folks over at Red Bubble have not done much to quell that weird obsession. Thus a pop art Bernie t-shirt was born. I decided to make an homage not only to the photographer but also to Warhol. Inspired by the Marilyn Monroe works by Warhol I made this poor atrocity. I really would have rather made it in bright oils on canvas but I have to get the idea out of my head fast and oils are expensive nowadays.
If you would like that image on a t-shirt (or sticker) pop over to Redbubble and grab one from my store. That would really help!
Stay safe out there and Art on!
