Everybody Hates Beetlejuice 

Curator: This is Dave Macdowell's piece, "Everybody Hates Beetlejuice," a mixed-media work incorporating acrylic paint. It immediately strikes me with its chaotic energy, almost like a punk rock album cover. Editor: Chaotic is an understatement. It’s a visually loud tableau that feels politically charged, almost deliberately offensive in its caricature. The central figures and imagery suggest a harsh commentary on power, death, and societal anxieties. I immediately want to dig into its intersectional critique of power structures. Curator: Absolutely. Macdowell's technique is intriguing – the bold lines, the layering of seemingly disparate images. The sheer density of the composition suggests a relentless, almost frantic working process. He’s clearly wrestling with something tangible in a very direct way. It reminds me of graffiti art where every layer tells a story. What is your reading of that interplay between graffiti aesthetic, politics and surreal imagery? Editor: Well, placing familiar symbols like Obama’s caricature, references to Planned Parenthood, a hellish cityscape, against the backdrop of swirling colors and comic book-esque text, I think Macdowell is commenting on contemporary culture wars. It feels like an anti-establishment rage directed at figures perceived as enemies and pointing to controversial social institutions. The title suggests a universality of dislike. Everyone hates something… or someone. But in such politically divided context "hate" has acquired new weight. Curator: The "Welcome to ChHell" sign feels intentionally provocative, blending playful language with ominous themes. And it is quite clear the layering of different iconographies works in the artwork to further intensify the sensation of unease, inviting contemplation about material reality and power relations within society. You start to consider the ways that political discourse turns people to caricatures and political positions into absolutes, a deeply corrosive aspect of social dialogue in contemporary political debate. Editor: Exactly! What’s fascinating is how the visual overload itself mirrors the overwhelming nature of modern information and the constant barrage of political messaging. The artistic intention seems designed to unsettle the viewer, forcing us to confront uncomfortable realities that relate to who we are, what we hate, and to what realities we seem condemned. Curator: Agreed. Ultimately, it is this layered visual experience that leaves a lasting impact. Editor: Indeed, leaving one contemplating about society's descent towards divisive positions in the twenty-first century.