-Uncle Sam- mechanical bank c. 1976

This mechanical bank, featuring Uncle Sam, was made by an anonymous artist. The paintwork is what grabs me— those hard, clean edges make it feel almost…I dunno, like a toy soldier crossed with a politician, which it kind of is, right? The surface is smooth, a sort of cheerful, shiny plastic, and the colors are so loud, and somehow, also, a little bit muted? Look at the way the red of the base clashes with the candy-stripe pants. It’s like a patriotic fever dream. And that face, that blank stare – it's pretty unnerving, but also, kind of funny. It reminds me of some of the folk art I’ve seen, like those old weather vanes. Anyway, I think of Red Grooms and his rough-and-ready sculptures. They share a certain—what do you call it—honest, slightly bonkers energy. This piece embraces its weirdness, and I can't help but love it for that.