Wolfe's Haircut 2011

Kent Monkman’s ‘Wolfe’s Haircut’ is a painting, but it's also a history lesson served with a generous helping of cheekiness! The painting is executed with thin, delicate brushstrokes, almost like a classical master, but Monkman disrupts this formality with his choice of subject matter. Take a look at Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, his gender-fluid alter ego, she’s perched on the bed with a pair of scissors, ready for some hairstyling. The light is soft, theatrical, enhancing the smooth surfaces of skin and fabric. What I love most is how Monkman embraces ambiguity. The haircut itself could be a metaphor for cultural change, a cutting away of old traditions. Maybe it’s a nod to art history itself, like Manet playing dress-up. It's playful, political, and visually arresting. What a great painting!