Sovereign, state 8 of 10 1969

Barbara Rossi created this intaglio print, Sovereign, in the latter half of the 20th century, a period marked by significant shifts in artistic and cultural landscapes. Sovereign explores ideas around identity, power, and the grotesque, all within the personal and the political. Rossi’s work, emerging from the Chicago Imagist movement, challenges conventional notions of beauty and authority through its whimsical yet unsettling imagery. The amalgamation of cartoonish forms, regal symbols, and distorted facial features evokes a sense of ambiguity. Born out of America's midwest, Rossi's artistic cohort, the Chicago Imagists, stood in contrast to the minimalism and pop art movements dominant on the coasts. They infused their art with a sense of the bizarre, drawing from sources like comic books, folk art, and the city's own unique urban environment. Understanding Sovereign requires diving into the cultural history of postwar America, its artistic institutions, and the spirit of challenging established norms. Through archival research, critical analysis, and engaging with the artistic discourses of the time, one can better understand the social conditions that gave rise to such a provocative piece.