Veeptopus No. 47: Joe Biden
-
ARTIST'S INSPIRATION
The Constitution is vague on the veep. Though the position bestows on it all of the authority and pomp of the U.S. Government, vice presidents throughout history have struggled to find purpose in a poorly defined role, all the while waiting for death. It’s a bit like life itself. Though every VP was a man of ambition and at least some talent, only a few managed to ascend to the top job. Most moldered in obscurity. The vice presidency is the great bronze medal of American politics.
These men have played large roles in American history and I did not want them to be forgotten. So I drew portraits of all 47 VPs. And I donned octopuses on their heads. Why? It takes a rare person to pull off an air of dignity with a cephalopod on his head. It seemed to fit with the absurdity of the role. You can see learn more about my project here: http://www.jonathan-crow.com
REALLY, WHY THE VICE PRESIDENTS & OCTOPUSES?
OK, it was just one of those ideas that seemed funny at 3am after a couple drinks. I mean, really - vice presidents and octopuses? How could you not like that? Why I then went ahead and actually drew all 47 is a question I don't fully understand myself. Probably some weird Midwestern stubbornness thing. My great-grandfather insisted on wearing a black wool suit everyday, regardless of the weather and that included when he did yard work. I'm like him except that I don't wear wool suits and I hate yard work.
ABOUT THE VP:
Joe Biden grew up with a pronounced stutter. The famously talkative veep was only able to fully overcome it when he was in law school.
- Jonathan Crow was born in Toledo, Ohio. He grew up in Bowling Green and currently lives in Los Angeles with stops in Austria, Boston, and rural Japan in between. He spent much of his misspent youth getting largely useless graduate degrees, including an MFA in Film from CalArts. When not drawing pictures, he is a screenwriter and a writer whose work has appeared in Yahoo! Movies, The Hollywood Reporter, The History Channel, Open Culture and other publications. Check out his site at: www.jonathan-crow.com
- Mediums:
- Illustrations, Drawings
- Posted
-
By: Jonathan
