Native Bus 2006

Editor: Here we have David Michael Hinnebusch’s "Native Bus," painted in 2006 using acrylics. It’s incredibly vibrant, but there's also something… unsettling about the figure’s face. The colors clash and the composition feels almost chaotic, like controlled demolition. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, chaos tamed, perhaps! It buzzes with energy, doesn’t it? Think of a fever dream, all bright lights and blurry edges. It speaks to the spirit of Expressionism, where raw emotion is the compass. Hinnebusch uses these acidic yellows and blues not just for show, but to reflect, maybe, a fractured identity or a society on edge. Do you get a sense of that tension? Editor: Definitely. It’s like a beautiful scream. The graffiti art elements add to that feeling of rebellion. I was also wondering about the "Native" aspect of the title – is there a specific commentary here? Curator: That’s the golden question, isn't it? Is he referencing indigenous roots? Is it about our connection to the land? Or is it a nod to the bus as a symbol of American life, a shared experience, regardless of origin? I suspect, with Hinnebusch, it’s all deliberately ambiguous, an invitation to look deeper than the surface splatters. Maybe he is not taking us somewhere but is saying we have arrived. Editor: I like that. The ambiguity actually makes it more engaging. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. Now I am wondering if the next time I get on a bus, I'll see it the same way again!