I chose to manipulate the classic Dogs Playing Poker painting by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge. Although the painting is considered an iconic piece of work and has had significant cultural influence, at the time of its release, elite artists did not take the work seriously and it was simply a humorous, satirical piece. The specific and most popular painting I used, A Friend in Need, is a part of a series of 18 paintings that were commissioned for cigar boxes, calendars, and advertisements. Ever since, it’s been in millions of homes, and has a lighthearted reputation. The image also spread because of the humor behind the bulldog in the front cheating by showing his ace to his partner.
I decided to change the image by putting the faces of Donald Trump, Xi Jingping, Kim Jong Un, Boris Johnson, and Vladimir Putin over the faces of the dogs. I also changed the poker table to a map of the world. By doing this, I was aiming to portray the leaders of today’s biggest countries as simply gambling with the lives of the world’s citizens. It is clear that they are each only playing for their own pleasure and to maximize power for their own respective countries, just like in a game of poker. They are playing to win. Instead of living in a connected, giving world where leaders are making decisions that are in the best interest of the people, these leaders are making decisions that are selfish and economically driven. International politics are characterized by every country strategizing on how they can surpass others, no matter the consequences. The title Dogs Playing Poker can still be used for the manipulated image…
The original images of the leaders can be found at the following links.
Marissa Zayed 