Untitled [Deputy Church, Deputy School]

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Untitled [Deputy Church, Deputy School] shows a law enforcement officer, a type of person which McMoore depicted quite frequently. As in many of his artworks, he renders these sheriffs with elaborate chandelier earrings and high heels. This depiction of male figures with female accessories may be expressive of his interpretation of gender or sexual identity. Some have hypothesized it may have been a way for McMoore to symbolically take power away from figures of authority, including the law enforcement personnel who occasionally transported him to receive psychiatric care. One of his former mental health case managers hypothesized that he had both a love and a fear of law enforcement officers, and McMoore included them in his artwork so that they would be his friends. This figure is also holding a guitar, and guitars make frequent appearances throughout the artist’s body of work. McMoore frequently reached out to those in his life that he knew and trusted, requesting support and assistance, such as helping him obtain art supplies. He would call them often, leaving messages that included some of his common phrases, such as “your black key is missing,” “don’t be a black key,” “don’t be a D-flat,” and “don’t get your black key on my white key.” For McMoore, a black piano key had a negative connotation. The recipients of these messages included Chuck Auerbach (McMoore’s friend and art supporter), and Jim Carney (Chuck’s neighbor and Akron Beacon Journal reporter). When the sons of Chuck and Jim—Dan Auerbach and Pat Carney—decided to form a band, they quickly agreed on the name “The Black Keys,” having heard that phrase from McMoore throughout their childhoods. The duo also borrowed a phrase McMoore used to describe himself, “McMoore McLesst,” as the name of their music publishing company. The band has been highly successful, with widespread commercial success and six Grammy wins.