Terror Attack
The Mob Storm Capitol Hill, Washington DC. January 6th 2020
Well before the US election date Trump was voicing that the election was rigged if he didn’t win. He was effectively grooming Republican extremists for a battle. Impediments to the postal vote – of especial importance to minority and poorer groups in Covid were implemented. Trump lousy handling of the virus lost him the election, but his inevitable inability to accept defeat led him to incite extremists on the Right to attack and enter Capitol Hill with an intention to harm those within it. It was an appalling, chilling body blow to democratic and decency. 5 died and over 140 police officers were injured. How did it get to this?
The Joker card, orange colours for Trump.
The raised fist is familiar as a symbol of protest, here it is clenching a flower.
Desperate Don
Desperate Dan was as a comic strip character from the wild west town of Cactusville. He was created for The Dandy magazine from its’ first publication in December 1937 until December 2012. This absurd, beefy, over inflated and not very bright ‘lawbreaking desperado’ had some characteristics of another very recent desperando.
Lances.
The chilling, chaotic scenes of the mob in Washington DC storming Capitol Hill with banners, placards etc. reminded me of the great Italian Renaissance painted triptych of The Battle of San Romano by Paolo Uccello
Uccello’s paintings depict the real battle of San Romano that took place on June 1st 1432. They graphically portray the head to head brutality between Florentine and Sienese cavalry. In each image the warmongers carry towering, upright lances that carve through the images like scars, both vertically and diagonally; heightening the menacing, explosive violence of the event.
Capitol Hill: The democratic headquarters of the Unites States of America. The building represents the most powerful country in the world. Now, suddenly, attacked by its own citizens, it seemed so vulnerable. The dome of the building reminded me of an egg; so easy to crack and to spill its contents.
United States Inauguration Day.
After all the awfulness, Joe Biden is formally sworn in as President.