Reagan Art

The Perfect Setting, 2005

Walking through Luc Tuymans' show, called "Proper," at David Zwirner, I felt I was back in the '80s looking at artwork that pointed out the Reagan era's excesses and its Bigfoot stomp on the rest of the world. This time around it's Dubya and his dad who are at the controls. The 10-painting show juxtaposes images of ballroom dancing, a massive explosion, an Emily Post-style dinnertable, and Condoleeza Rice. The images are extremely muted and washed out (much more so than these reproductions). Although I felt I had seen this exhibit about 20 years ago, this somewhat unsettling show still works both conceptually and artistically, which is rare these days.


Secretary of State, 2005

(Images via David Zwirner)