- Thanksgiving
- 19 November 06
- Illustration Friday
- 12 Comments
Medium: Coloured Pencil
Size: 215 mm [H] x 175 mm [W] (Viva la metric system)
When I first saw this topic I thought how North American-centric. I have to admit it got my gander up - which is strange seeing that Thanksgiving appears to involve turkeys as a central theme. Look it's not anything that's celebrated in Australia - and I'd never expect Australia Day nor Anzac Day to be an IF theme given that it's too narrow and meaningless for the majority of IF participants. Still, I'm sure Thanksgiving has some form of (sacred) meaning for those in North America and is not without merit.
Nonetheless, my reaction was to think of this in a political context - especially the notion of American cultural superiority (is arrogance too harsh a word?). I suppose the timing of this topic to coincide with the week of US Thanksgiving as opposed Canadian Thanksgiving (2nd Monday in October) reinforces my own prejudices on global cultural politics. The gradual Americanisation of the world does irk me, I suppose this drawing questions whether all things American should be "forced" on other cultures - personally I think there can be more than one world view.
Anyway, this drawing was done a la propaganda style and can be read on many levels. Rather than use a turkey to make a spurious link back to the topic much better to use a turkey vulture (Cathartes Aura) to pick over the world's cultural bones. In this case said turkey vulture has just regurgitated a cultural bomb American Kultur (Sic) and should we be giving thanks for that?
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comments
Nice illustration. But as an ‘ugly American’I can’t help but wonder (as I read all of these anti-american statements that seem to be popping up) why Thanksgiving can’t be seen as more than just an American holiday? Like many of the IF topics, there are multiple takes on a word or theme. It makes it seem that the rest of the world has absolutely nothing to be thankful for…Thanksgiving…the giving of thanks…doesn’t have to be about American anything…
Posted by Brian Lee on 20.11.06 at 10.30pm
great illo!
Posted by Michelle lana on 20.11.06 at 10.57pm
I understand your rant, I guess. I think the person who chose this word meant to bring out the things we’re all thankful for…from all over the world, not just our traditional turkey with all the fixin’s, etc. On that note, I do like your illo. It’s powerful!
Posted by studio lolo on 21.11.06 at 03.41am
wonderful piece. this is the kind of expression that creates change. keep up the strong voice and beautiful work.
Posted by robertc on 21.11.06 at 08.47am
Good sir. Great graphic concept and a relief from the hallmark carditis disease that afflicts this (and alas) most other themes on IF.
Regards, Neil
Posted by neilornstein on 22.11.06 at 01.00am
heya detlef
you will probably enjoy William S. Burroughs thanksgiving poem, on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7Z_08o108E
thanks for coming by
Posted by Scott Hollingsworth on 25.11.06 at 03.27am
Heh. You rock, Detlef. I abstained from the IF… and, for the most part, Thanksgiving as a whole. I hope T-Day doesn’t go global. Yikes! It’s customarily a day filled with familial stress and forced smiles—a day best dealt with by imbibing many glasses of wine.
Posted by Roz on 28.11.06 at 02.46am
American culture vulture…heheh! Nobody here but us rednecks. Just ignore it, maybe it’ll go away.
Posted by LDahl on 28.11.06 at 02.41pm
Congratulations on a fine illustration and for being a voice for those of us who live in the gloom of globalisation.
Posted by Robyn Smith on 29.11.06 at 06.27pm
NO THANKS!!!! I totally agree with you Detlef, nice to see a turkey doing something good
Posted by Anonymous on 30.11.06 at 10.35am
How did I miss this one? I have many opinions (and most seem to coincide with yours) but my strongest one is this: if pushing your political buttons means you’ll produce more of these beauties then ... George Bush is a GOD!
PS My 14 year old son has been chosen to try out for the Canadian National Junior Australian Football Team. Woo hoo! (and *big cringe* from his mother—this is not Auskick after all…)
Posted by andrea on 11.12.06 at 02.17am
“nice to see a turkey doing something good”?
hahahahahahahahahhahaha
Boohoo on America.
Posted by Countessa Von Umph on 30.01.07 at 12.04am