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Description
[EDIT 2 10.30.10] Moved to new account. This was posted in my previous gallery as well, and with the exception of my two DDs, this was my most viewed work at 5,409 views.

[EDIT 08.04.07] - due to the political content and therefore sensitive nature depicted in this artwork, I have written the description of this artwork to make my intentions as clear as possible. Frankly, I don't have time to sit around and debate the issue with pseudo-internet-intellectuals. I'd much rather create new artworks.
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I truly hate having to explain this artwork, because good art should stand on its own, but someone's bound to not get it. This preemptive strike should save me some grief.

1) THE DONKEY AND ELEPHANT
Should be the most obvious elements in the picture. Representing either side of politics, one is shown on either side of the smiling president. Their placement should represent balance. I placed the conservative Republican on the president's right side and the liberal Democrat on his left. This is all smoke and mirrors because no matter which one the voters select, you will still get the generic guy in the center.

2) THE PRESIDENT
The smiley face is from the Wal-Mart price reduction commercials. Bright yellow is the most eye catching color and was intentionally used in this picture to draw your attention from the flag. In this same way a politician also serves to draw your attention from real issues. His smile is reassuring. His speeches offer little or no insight into the inner workings of the government, but have more in common with the work of a god public relations firm. His words are meant to distract you, to calm you, to keep you happy and complacent.

3) THE 'NUMBER ONE' GESTURE
You would most likely think the president is raising his finger as a symbol of victory. He would have you believe that after winning the presidency, his political victory is a victory for the entire nation. Every four years this win is supposed to thrill us common folk. The 'number one' gesture could also represent selfishness. He alone has enormous power over the nation. He answers to virtually no one. This was not intended by the framers of the Constitution.
Consider this alternate interpretation. The smiling politician is an illusionist, a hypnotist. Consider that he is not raising his finger in a 'number one' gesture at all. He is simply pointing. Pointing away from the press conference. Away from partisan politics. Away from the constitution. Away from the stars in the flag. Away from himself. A common design and advertising ploy is to lead your eye around on a printed page with use of color and flow of design. A magician uses slight of hand to distract you while his other hand conceals the magic card. Politicians do the same with specific hand gestures.

4) THE CONSTITUTION
I have it hidden under the flag. The flag is a symbol, it can be referred to as the heart of the nation. By that line of thinking, then so is the constitution comparative to the brain. There are plenty of flag waving, so-called patriots who are thinking with their hearts and not with their minds. They do not know the Constitution or the original intent of the framers of the Constitution. The founding fathers have been badly misinterpreted by modern peoples and governments. That has trickled down to erroneous teachings in our schools which has lead to rampant ignorance and apathy in our nation. There are many glaring examples of this. I don't need to name them, I won't debate them with you, it's not the purpose of this work.

5) THE FLAG
It is a symbol. I couldn't resist playing with it. Let it be stated that I believe in what it stands for -- what it should stand for. This artwork is intended to be a political statement and I am aware that the Constitution allows me the right to make this statement. You needn't remind me.

At first glance the flag looks completely normal, but a close inspection reveals otherwise. A subtle effect if you're not looking at it, but obvious once you see it. I replaced the stars with another symbol, all of them except one. Has our nation been infected by that kind of thinking? Clearly it has as everyday people trade in their liberties to allow government to have more control of their lives. Days of a desire for personal accountability seem to be fading. There is also considerable frustration among people, many of us feel that our one voice -- our one vote -- cannot make a difference. That the one star represents the individual overpowered by government controls and regulations. Feeling powerless and surrounded by bad ideologies, ignorance and apathy.

6) THE PRESS CONFERENCE
The media paints the picture and we depend on them for an accurate depiction. The common man can only view the picture and take it at face value. Notice there are no microphones? Does it matter? Presidential speeches are national pep rallies. Rarely informative. Even so, the media will edit and reinterpret what is said. Everything must be reduced to short sound bytes for a nation of eMpTyV viewers with incredibly short attention spans.

7. NEW WORLD ORDER?
Why did I choose the title "New World Order?" for this artwork?

From wikipedia:
"New World Order (Novus Ordo Mundi) refers to a conspiracy in which a powerful and secretive group is claimed to be conspiring to eventually rule the world via an autonomous world government, which would replace sovereign states and other checks and balances in world power struggles. In new world order conspiracy theories, many significant occurrences are caused by a powerful secret group."

All conspiracy theories aside, I think that it is a safe assumption to say a vast majority of U.S. citizens do not trust their own government. While there may or may not be a secret society of super rich people pulling the strings of government, there is a more obvious concern. It is blatantly clear that there is a not-so-secret society of super-rich people pulling the strings of world governments. They are the left or right slanted media pretending to be unbiased. They are corporate lobbyists with self serving interests and financial access to government officials that the common man can never have. They are high profile actors who abuse their time in the spotlight by pushing a political agenda they barely understand. They are the super-wealthy business man who runs for office believing himself to be among the best of us, bust as a hoarder of personal wealth -- while others want for basic needs -- will actually be among the most immoral of any society. This is our real new world order and I don't much care for it. Do you?

Description
[EDIT 2 10.30.10] Moved to new account. This was posted in my previous gallery as well, and with the exception of my two DDs, this was my most viewed work at 5,409 views.

[EDIT 08.04.07] - due to the political content and therefore sensitive nature depicted in this artwork, I have written the description of this artwork to make my intentions as clear as possible. Frankly, I don't have time to sit around and debate the issue with pseudo-internet-intellectuals. I'd much rather create new artworks.
-------------------------------------------
I truly hate having to explain this artwork, because good art should stand on its own, but someone's bound to not get it. This preemptive strike should save me some grief.

1) THE DONKEY AND ELEPHANT
Should be the most obvious elements in the picture. Representing either side of politics, one is shown on either side of the smiling president. Their placement should represent balance. I placed the conservative Republican on the president's right side and the liberal Democrat on his left. This is all smoke and mirrors because no matter which one the voters select, you will still get the generic guy in the center.

2) THE PRESIDENT
The smiley face is from the Wal-Mart price reduction commercials. Bright yellow is the most eye catching color and was intentionally used in this picture to draw your attention from the flag. In this same way a politician also serves to draw your attention from real issues. His smile is reassuring. His speeches offer little or no insight into the inner workings of the government, but have more in common with the work of a god public relations firm. His words are meant to distract you, to calm you, to keep you happy and complacent.

3) THE 'NUMBER ONE' GESTURE
You would most likely think the president is raising his finger as a symbol of victory. He would have you believe that after winning the presidency, his political victory is a victory for the entire nation. Every four years this win is supposed to thrill us common folk. The 'number one' gesture could also represent selfishness. He alone has enormous power over the nation. He answers to virtually no one. This was not intended by the framers of the Constitution.
Consider this alternate interpretation. The smiling politician is an illusionist, a hypnotist. Consider that he is not raising his finger in a 'number one' gesture at all. He is simply pointing. Pointing away from the press conference. Away from partisan politics. Away from the constitution. Away from the stars in the flag. Away from himself. A common design and advertising ploy is to lead your eye around on a printed page with use of color and flow of design. A magician uses slight of hand to distract you while his other hand conceals the magic card. Politicians do the same with specific hand gestures.

4) THE CONSTITUTION
I have it hidden under the flag. The flag is a symbol, it can be referred to as the heart of the nation. By that line of thinking, then so is the constitution comparative to the brain. There are plenty of flag waving, so-called patriots who are thinking with their hearts and not with their minds. They do not know the Constitution or the original intent of the framers of the Constitution. The founding fathers have been badly misinterpreted by modern peoples and governments. That has trickled down to erroneous teachings in our schools which has lead to rampant ignorance and apathy in our nation. There are many glaring examples of this. I don't need to name them, I won't debate them with you, it's not the purpose of this work.

5) THE FLAG
It is a symbol. I couldn't resist playing with it. Let it be stated that I believe in what it stands for -- what it should stand for. This artwork is intended to be a political statement and I am aware that the Constitution allows me the right to make this statement. You needn't remind me.

At first glance the flag looks completely normal, but a close inspection reveals otherwise. A subtle effect if you're not looking at it, but obvious once you see it. I replaced the stars with another symbol, all of them except one. Has our nation been infected by that kind of thinking? Clearly it has as everyday people trade in their liberties to allow government to have more control of their lives. Days of a desire for personal accountability seem to be fading. There is also considerable frustration among people, many of us feel that our one voice -- our one vote -- cannot make a difference. That the one star represents the individual overpowered by government controls and regulations. Feeling powerless and surrounded by bad ideologies, ignorance and apathy.

6) THE PRESS CONFERENCE
The media paints the picture and we depend on them for an accurate depiction. The common man can only view the picture and take it at face value. Notice there are no microphones? Does it matter? Presidential speeches are national pep rallies. Rarely informative. Even so, the media will edit and reinterpret what is said. Everything must be reduced to short sound bytes for a nation of eMpTyV viewers with incredibly short attention spans.

7. NEW WORLD ORDER?
Why did I choose the title "New World Order?" for this artwork?

From wikipedia:
"New World Order (Novus Ordo Mundi) refers to a conspiracy in which a powerful and secretive group is claimed to be conspiring to eventually rule the world via an autonomous world government, which would replace sovereign states and other checks and balances in world power struggles. In new world order conspiracy theories, many significant occurrences are caused by a powerful secret group."

All conspiracy theories aside, I think that it is a safe assumption to say a vast majority of U.S. citizens do not trust their own government. While there may or may not be a secret society of super rich people pulling the strings of government, there is a more obvious concern. It is blatantly clear that there is a not-so-secret society of super-rich people pulling the strings of world governments. They are the left or right slanted media pretending to be unbiased. They are corporate lobbyists with self serving interests and financial access to government officials that the common man can never have. They are high profile actors who abuse their time in the spotlight by pushing a political agenda they barely understand. They are the super-wealthy business man who runs for office believing himself to be among the best of us, bust as a hoarder of personal wealth -- while others want for basic needs -- will actually be among the most immoral of any society. This is our real new world order and I don't much care for it. Do you?