Sesow's War Paintings

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Something's Not Right

i painted this piece on deci2,2002 shortly after the decision to begin deployment to kuwait had started. i was upset that we have so many social problems here in DC, yet we were sending so many funds and resources to go kill peo! ple in irag. from my studio, i can clearly see the capitol building and andrew's airforce base (j can see the planes land and take off). the painting shows a small totem... a simple way to show hierarchy (social, economic, political, professional, racial, etc...) in america around the outside of the painting it says ‘this morning i looked out my window and saw a man defecate on a storefront, like a hippo in the zoo, a bomber take off from andrew's, a foreigner help an old lady into a cab, and the schools are closed because of rain, while caruso plays (with capitol)’

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shows invading force (sent by a new 'king') coming into iraq. burning oilfield in background

War Call

Ay ay

a play on words, done in reaction, in february to the call to war.

Treacle Treat

shows the inspector general and ‘turkey’... two major powers that are being ‘pushed! b! y american policy to do the bidding of our government so that the attack can begin in haste.

No Shelter

shows an iraqi family trying to get shelter from the storm of Cruise missiles i did this painting in reaction to the news that america would send/drop up to. 600 cruise missiles within the first 2 days of war.

Baghdad (Final Family Portrait)

i did this painting in january of 2003... shows what i think will be destroyed during coming war... the iragi family and the structure showing the swords in baghdad

Nowhere to go But Down

Wounded

ae

this work shows an iraqi plane dropping people as bombs. it

shows an american soldier portrays the desperate methods returning home missing his __@N outmatched opponent much hand from the war. and his take to try to stand up toa

newfound self image attracted __ Much stronger opponent.

toa woman missing a foot. side People on the ground represent note: ilost my left hand ina __the ancient history of childhood accident (hit by a mesopotamia. landing airplane), so many of my works deal with amputation

and trauma) sadam statue

Country Run By Survivors

this painting deals with the fact that iraq will be run by iragi survivors, that weren't killed by the invading troops.

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MVP.

the idea here, as with most of these new pieces, is that the kids fighting just got out of highschool. here is an ‘mvp! of ‘some highschool sport in gas mask, screaming underneath the mask as his hand is amputated or blown off. burning oil field in background

March Madness

the madness of the war, the familiar phrase, double amputee can't play basketball anymore. burning oilfield in background.

WarKing

highschool homecoming king in gas mask fighting war. anti-scar ignorance symbol and burning oil field

Shock and Awe

shows figure in ‘shock and awe’ in gas mask with both hands amputated/blown off and thrown in the air, with two ‘trauma scars! (to honor guernica, but personalized with amputation), burning oil field in background, trauma scar overwhelms the neck, crown of power has fallen.

Honor Roll

american high school honor roll student in gas mask... tank in background is irony of ‘honor’ as the tanks rollin to destroy. burning oil field in background. anti-scar on neck (individual not enlightened by experience)

War FBLA

growing up in the midwest, there was a lot of emphasis in high school to belong to groups and clubs that encouraged ‘successful placement in american society’. fbla was a group i belonged to in high school called ‘future business leaders of america’... here itis asa soldier in gas mask and stands for ‘future business leader of arabs’... burning oil field in background, ant-scar/ignorance symbol

in Nebraska we had in high school the future farmers of america... this is the ‘future farmers of the arabs’. hat has a windmill on it, anti-scar/ignorance symbol on neck.

Liberty Shield

self portrait of me in gas mask holding up arm. capitol building in the background. the homeland security department announced ‘operation liberty shield' to protect the homeland yesterday.