Extremes of visual style 1970 - 1980

Editor: This artwork is titled *Extremes of visual style* by Lanny Sommese, created sometime between 1970 and 1980, and is a mixed-media piece incorporating drawing, graphic art, and printmaking. It features cartoon characters... It feels nostalgic and a little unsettling all at once. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's a fascinating visual layering, isn't it? Sommese uses these familiar cartoon figures – icons of American animation – to subvert expectations. The juxtaposition of innocence with a somewhat crudely rendered aesthetic invites us to consider the underlying politics of representation. Who gets to tell stories, and how are those stories shaped by power dynamics? Editor: Power dynamics in cartoons? That's an interesting idea. I mostly think of them as… fun. Curator: But who is the "fun" for, and at whose expense? Think about the ways these characters have been used – sometimes problematically – in advertising or as cultural shorthand. What statements were these images used to support, and what audiences did that end up alienating? Sommese pulls these figures from their context, almost as if asking us to re-evaluate their place in the collective consciousness. Do you notice any particular figures that seem deliberately placed? Editor: Well, Wile E. Coyote always loses...is the cartoon referencing societal inequalities? Curator: Perhaps! Consider also the Road Runner, seemingly oblivious, forever escaping exploitation. Sommese gives us a potent visual metaphor of our relationship to pop culture; we are all manipulated by forces bigger than us, trapped into roles written for us. Sommese critiques popular culture with humor. The linocut, reminiscent of cheap printing, mirrors how readily ideas spread in culture. The narrative transforms from a harmless children's narrative to social criticism on class struggles, prejudice, and biases. What will you take away from viewing this artwork today? Editor: I never thought about cartoons in such a critical way before. It’s fascinating how much depth there is when you start looking at the context.