One More Time! 1970

Curator: "One More Time!", a riotous oil painting from 1970 by Jack Davis. What's your first impression? Editor: My first thought is—this is a very strange party. The overall effect is dynamic chaos. It’s difficult to absorb everything in one viewing; the image seems restless, overflowing with caricatures and satirical imagery. Curator: Absolutely. Davis was celebrated for his illustrations for *Mad* magazine, album covers, and movie posters. In this work, the central figures are Sammy Davis Jr. and Lorne Greene, surrounded by characters representing various stereotypes and genres of the time. Look at how those archetypes of popular entertainment vie for attention. Editor: It seems significant to think about its manufacture as a carefully crafted composition despite the frenetic imagery. Given his work on popular publications and films, there is perhaps an emphasis on efficiency in how this was created. Were there many studies, sketches, or did Davis work at high speed to churn out the illustration? What sort of support system of labor enabled this? Curator: The stereotypes themselves feel weighty, each bearing decades of baggage. For instance, the exaggerated depictions of cowboys and native Americans carry a very loaded history and symbolism rooted in conquest and the American West. It begs the question: what commentary, if any, is Davis offering through this cacophony? Editor: I'd suggest this kind of commission really exemplifies the blurring of high and low art production in the twentieth century. Illustration often ends up ignored by those invested in notions of ‘fine art’ but I find it intriguing when that boundary gets challenged or completely demolished by these types of artistic projects. Curator: Seeing all of these archetypes jumbled together makes me consider the notion of nostalgia itself. Are we meant to long for these genres, critique them, or laugh at their absurd combinations? Is Davis interested in cultural memory and what persists in the collective consciousness? Editor: From a materialist position, it shows how various elements of production such as comic-like line work are combined to produce a singular finished product consumed at scale, whether in print, as a poster, or projected onto an album cover, creating something totally unique through mass manufacturing and consumption. Curator: That said, these archetypes don't simply vanish. These symbols evolve and appear "one more time" through later interpretations, whether deliberately or accidentally, informing how we create new stories and understand the world. Editor: Indeed. Thinking about this piece highlights how much the conditions of production influence meaning and visibility, prompting discussions about the art market, the social implications of manufacture, and circulation of mass media.