Critic: Bush's paintings 'copied off Google'

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Independent

Critic: Bush's paintings 'copied off Google'
10:15 AM Thursday Apr 10, 2014



As a former President of The Most Powerful Country In The World, George W Bush has significantly greater access to world leaders than most budding artists.

For his remarkable collection of portraits of world leaders, currently on show at the 'Art of Leadership' exhibition at the Bush Presidential Centre in Dallas, Texas, the former leader of the free world appears, however, to have resorted to using a simplistic approach to producing the startling likenesses.

Art critics have pointed out that a number of the 30 portraits in the exhibition appear to be based on images thrown up by a cursory search of the person's name in Google Images.

In some cases the portrait seems to have been based on the very first image result on the search engine.


Read more: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/international-politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503226&objectid=11235682

[dlwickham]

1. does anyone really give a flying fuck about Bush's "art"

[MindMover]

6. EXACTLY ... nt

[Berlum]

13. Yep

It's yet another demonstration of Republican values in action - no honor, no integrity, no honesty.

[olddad56]

33. his art would improve if had all day in a prison cell to prefect it.

[Kelvin Mace]

2. Interesting. I wonder if

any U.S. media will cover his overt plagiarism.

[AtheistCrusader]

3. Zimmerman must be a fan.

[Submariner]

4. He really sucks at painting too

I would like to see him take up binge drinking, projectile vomiting, bleeding stomach ulcers, liver cirrhosis, and an early death. That would be some performance art from dubya I'd like to see.

[AAO]

29. And he could pick his cocaine habit back up!

[cosmicone]

5. I'm least surprised

I never thought Bush had any intellectual or artistic talent of any kind.

[louis-t]

7. I would have expected nothing more from this dumbass.

Laziest man on earth. And his paintings are about 4th grade level.

[boomer55]

8. In a just world these paintings would be being seen from the Hague.

or from whatever prison that waste of carbon should be assigned to.

[Louisiana1976]

10. Well said.

[notadmblnd]

9. He's moving up from coloring books.

He's tracing his own pictures before he colors them now.

[Auntie Bush]

18. No, He passed paint by number next.

[aggiesal]

11. George W. McMoran n/t

[subterranean]

12. Has he been representing them as something else?

It doesn't bother me that he painted these portraits from Google images. But if he's been saying he painted them from his own memories and imagination, well, that's about what I'd expect from that habitual liar.

[Journeyman]

14. Wonder if he'll be subject to the same copyright violations Shepard Fairey was . . .

[frylock]

15. maybe he and georgie zimmerman could put together an exhibit

[crim son]

16. He's painting from photos and doing an okay job.

So what? He still belongs in jail.

[lunasun]

17. Googling on the uh internets...........

[Politicalboi]

19. No, it's on the internets

And on the google.

[Fearless]

20. So what?

[treestar]

21. Not a real problem

But that painting is so bad. Thought he saw into Pootie's soul and could relate this via art. Nah.

[GliderGuider]

22. My wife has been a painter and printmaker for (many) decades. Her comments:

Last edited Fri Apr 11, 2014, 09:49 AM - Edit history (2)

1. Virtually every portrait painter in the world works from photographs. This is no longer the era of Rembrandt and Vermeer.

2. Bush's work is far more expressive than she expected. He clearly paints through the lens of his own psyche. If you want to see how he feels about his father, compare the photo to his painting. The painting clearly reflects the judgement and disapproval W has has been subjected to for his whole life.

3. Bush may be a worthless shit-stain of a human being and the worst President the USA ever had, but he's really not a bad painter.

[yellowcanine]

23. Bush has created a whole new folk art genre! Google art!

[raindaddy]

24. Hypocrisy!

Seems like Republicans are the first to claim they don't want to spend money supporting the arts in public schools. Ironic, after subjecting us to eight years of torture, wars and blowing up the economy we're now supposed to celebrate Dubya's new found passion.

I'd like see see the media give equal time to all of the "real" artists, that in spite of de-funded art programs and a struggling economy still find it in themselves to create art. Most of whom will never receive the attention in a lifetime that Bush receives in a day. Ironic, we're the ones paying for his gallery.

I'll give him this, he's a better painter than he was a president and there's more truth in those painting than the rest of the bullshit propaganda displayed in the Bush Library... Maybe if little George had grown up in a family and culture that saw the value in creativity he might've become a decent painter instead of a figurehead for Dick Cheney's failed presidency.

[graywarrior]

25. What, no velvet?

[cntrygrl]

26. George Bush - self portrait never seen before ...

[link:|

[Sunlei]

27. at least bush caught putins facial features of his 'fetal alcohol syndrome' mental condition.

[Jefferson23]

28. How come he did not paint any goats? n/t

[Blue Owl]

30. Very Warholic

n/t

[Gothmog]

31. An art critic mentioned this on the Chris Hayes show on Wednesday

The art critic was not impressed with Bush's work

[jollyreaper2112]

32. Imagine....

Just imagine the pain this world could have avoided if more world leaders were admitted to art school.

[freshwest]

34. What is it with all the frustrated artists starting wars? If you know what I mean...n/t

[The Stranger]

35. I can't stop laugolgnhg

[Ash_F]

36. The paintings are amazing. I hope he never stops.

[Mz Pip]

37. A lot of people copy photos when they paint

That, in and of itself is no big deal. However these are getting attention because Bush did them. They aren't awful but if anyone else had done them they would remain forever unseen by the public, much less the focus of a big show.