(Los Angeles, California, 1952 - )
1999
Acrylic and alkyd on mahogany panel
96 x 320 in. (243.8 x 812.8 cm)
Collection of the Akron Art Museum
The Mary S. and Louis S. Myers Endowment Fund for Painting and Sculpture
2000.2 a-e
© Lari Pittman
Pittman uses an exacting, layered painting technique to create an MTV-speed montage of images and themes. A narrative is implied, although Pittman cautions that there is no single fixed meaning. An older male gazes at younger ones, some of whom wear headgear symbolizing victory, sainthood and martyrdom. Three shed tears, suggesting mourning. Flowers with insects are traditional symbols that remind us that delight and beauty must eventually give way to death. Bottles and a distillation device allude to alchemy, the pseudo-science aimed at transforming lead into gold. 'Thankfully' “destabilizes” gender issues, asking why elements associated positively with femininity have a negative connotation when linked to males. The unusual tense in the title implies that the painting addresses what is possible in the future but not certain.