Forgotten Man 2010

Editor: This oil painting, titled "Forgotten Man," was created by Jon McNaughton in 2010. It's quite striking – a lone figure on a bench surrounded by past presidents, with the White House in the background. It feels overtly symbolic, but I'm not quite sure what to make of it. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a fascinating example of contemporary history painting, one deeply invested in the material conditions of American society. Consider the labor involved: the artist meticulously applying layers of oil paint to create this representational image. But the real weight lies in the ideological work it performs. Note the sharp contrast between the carefully rendered portraits of presidents and the downcast man. Editor: The "forgotten man" certainly stands out. But what does his presence—and that of the scattered money and documents around him—say about materiality? Curator: They speak to economic hardship and dispossession. The paper under President Obama’s feet, presumably the Constitution or other foundational documents, becomes a mere commodity, a means of justifying or obscuring the unequal distribution of wealth. Think about how McNaughton invites the viewer to consume this image, reinforcing or challenging pre-existing narratives. Editor: So, the materials—the paint, the symbols, the very idea being portrayed—are all interconnected in a critique of contemporary capitalism? Curator: Precisely. It raises questions about the labor that sustains political systems, who benefits from that labor, and the materials—both literal and figurative—upon which power is built. Even the painting itself, as a commodity, participates in this complex web of social and economic relations. Editor: That makes me see the painting in a whole new light. It's not just a political statement; it’s a commentary on the very system that produces and consumes art. Curator: Indeed. By focusing on the materials and modes of production, we can decode the loaded message McNaughton attempts to convey about American identity and societal structures.