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| Eric Fischl-Trump Clown |
Speaking from personal experience, I'm hopeful in my belief that all people can change, even at the hour of death. We all have the opportunity for reconciliation and maybe even redemption, in spite of it seeming like some folks are never going to change. We just never know. I do know there are those individuals who in this life will choose not to change, perhaps not in this life, but I'm sure there will be a positive change in the next world, whatever that is. The old adage of how change is as good as a rest, I see as being very true.
If we can't accept the fact that people won't change, then it's best to choose to change out attitude toward them and take action to make ourselves feel better or to possibly effect change in some way or another.
When artists see others especially those in political power hell bent on behaviour that appears to be misanthropic in nature diminishing and demeaning humanity and when this has happened throughout history, artists often take to their art, out of frustration, outrage, fear and social conscience. It gives a sense of being able to perhaps empower ourselves or others without voice and enable some kind of positive change. As the writer the late Ojibwa writer Richard Wagamese stated,"Our humanity is lifted up by our art."
I've always admired art the lifts up humanity, and Eric Fischl is just this kind of artist, although it's certainly not "pretty art", but it is truthful. Truthful change is usually difficult and risky and takes courage. What I admire about Eric Fischl is that he's had the courage to change his art and change himself over the years.
I'm sure he'd only hope that the kind of satirical work he's producing now, causes some kind of positive change, if not a change in Donald Trump and his cabinet. And we, can only hope.
