Henry Kissinger as a Fish 1999

Curator: Here we have Pat Oliphant's pen drawing, "Henry Kissinger as a Fish," created in 1999. Editor: My first thought? Oh, clever. I mean, Kissinger and a fish...there’s something darkly comic about it, almost like he's been... caught. Curator: Indeed. The formal construction is quite pointed, isn't it? Oliphant employs stark lines, sharp angles—particularly noticeable in the caricature of Kissinger’s features—which contrast dynamically with the implied fluidity of the fish form. Editor: Absolutely. It's not just a drawing, it’s an opinion, wouldn’t you say? The way he uses the pen, kind of scratchy and unforgiving... Kissinger's features are so exaggerated. He's practically drowning in that fish body. Curator: Note also how the hatching technique defines mass. Oliphant's strategic application creates a three-dimensional quality on what is, of course, a two-dimensional surface. The cross-hatching gives weight, suggesting Kissinger’s influential, if somewhat weighty, role in international politics. Editor: And there's the inherent irony of portraying a human, especially such a figure, as an animal – a comment, perhaps, on power and how it can strip away humanity. What strikes me most, I think, is that blank expression on the fish-Kissinger...It makes me wonder, you know? Does he realize he’s… a fish? Curator: A poignant question, definitely. It's a complex piece, open to varying interpretations given its provocative style. Editor: Yes, art that speaks to our souls while provoking thoughtful critique; well said.