Photo: Dorothy's Gallery

by Bryan Pirolli

Barack Obama's visit to Paris in July was one of the biggest events of the summer: Even before asking for a financial guarantee, my new landlord asked me if I had been following the Obama-Sarkozy meeting. I hadn't, but apparently all of France had.

Now, just in time for the election, Dorothy's Gallery in the Bastille neighborhood is exhibiting both French and American renderings of the candidate in a show entitled "Barack Obama in Paris." The show features work from 14 artists and includes sculpture, paintings, cartoons, collages, and a video installation, all assembled by the gallery's American owner Dorothy Polley.

Themes touch on all aspects of Obama's historic nomination. Race issues are apparent in works exploring American racism, and one cartoon even puts Obama next to a KKK member with a caption in French that essentially says, "This is how I'll get the white vote." Many pieces in the first of three rooms are homages to the candidate, heavily relying on the word "change" and red, white, and blue motifs. Utterly American, or French, depending on how you look at it.

Of course, there is one requisite Sarah Palin illustration, featuring the Alaska governor seated on a bear pelt looking like Bam Bam from the Flintstones--club included. Open through November 17.

Further reading:
* Germany's Got a Crush on Obama (Daily Traveler)