Banknote Portraits

Dale Wittig 
acrylic, pencil & gesso on card
September 2017 
San Francisco CA

In conjunction with my new pamphlet, Bank Fraud, I made a small series of paintings to show at this year’s New York Art Book Fair at PS1, a couple of days from now.  The banknotes chosen were based on familiarity, actual possession, and by relation to the theme of the booklet, which reproduces internet fishing letters that attempt to deceive the reader into revealing their banking information to the writer.  Overlaying the letters are drawings of stacks and piles of cash and various banknotes in close-up.  One is promised millions of dollars, usually to help some orphaned relative of the writer, though sometimes directly appealing to the reader’s overt criminal tendencies.  I’ve always enjoyed looking at the portraits that appear on banknotes and have long wanted an excuse for painting variations on those found there.

1.Dr James Kwegyir Aggrey on Five Ghana Cedis note  2.George Washington on 1935 One Dollar Silver Certificate  3.Elizabeth Windsor on Fifty Pound note  4.Andrew Jackson on 2003 Twenty Dollar bill  5.Mao Zedong on One Hundred Yuan note  6.Thomas Jefferson on 2009 Two Dollar bill  7.Emiliano Zapata on Diez Pesos note  8.Benjamin Franklin on 2009 One Hundred Dollar bill  9.Nezahualcoyotl on Cien Pesos note  10. Benito Pablo Juárez  on 1913 Cincuenta Pesos note

Is it really you?

Twin Peaks the Return: part 18 
What is your name?  
David Lynch & Mark Frost 
Los Angeles CA 2017

These images all come from the beginning of part 18, the final one of the Return, where Mr C’s body burns away and his golden seed is harvested for the making of another doppelganger.  After having Laura torn from his grasp, apparently by Judy, as he was attempting to lead her home, Dale Cooper finds himself seated once again in the red room where he spent most of the last twenty five years.  Again he’s questioned by Phillip Gerard and again Laura whispers in his ear, after which she is again torn away, but now when again meeting with the evolution of the Arm he’s asked if it is the story of the little girl who lived down the lane?  (Audrey made this same query of Charlie in their apartment within the lodge.)  Cooper appears to have finally achieved some mastery of the situation and place and easily makes his exit to Glastonbury Grove and his awaiting assistant and lover, Diane Evans.

 

 

   

Wishbones

starring Indio & Smokey 
directed by Ron Rico
Big City Video 
Harlem NYC 2004

A couple of native New Yorkers enjoy each others company for twenty minutes without getting too serious about it.  Of course they’re both rather seriously handsome and well built without being at all ridiculous.  Their accents sound unaffected, so it’s easy to place them.  Indio, the younger of the two, wearing the do rag, bottoms for Smokey and they both manage to get off.  It’s a very straight forward, even stark, presentation of a little bit of pleasure and I find it has stayed rather well in my memory these last thirteen years.  I recommend it as a model of friendship  for younger viewers who might sympathize with these two.