Bitter with the Swede

Mixed Media
2023
30 x 24″

With this addition to my New Mythology series, “One Small Step for a Turtle…,” I reimagine space exploration through a lens of humor and irony, asking: what if the first step into the cosmos was taken by a creature as slow and enduring as the turtle? The bold orange background creates an intense, almost apocalyptic backdrop, contrasting sharply with the black-and-white collage elements. This fragmentation hints at the chaos of history and memory, while the central turtle in an astronaut suit anchors the piece, giving viewers a point of balance amid the disorder.

The turtles, symbols of resilience and patience, juxtapose with the cold, fast-paced realm of space technology, hinting at an environmental reflection. With their shells as homes, they echo astronauts carrying life support into inhospitable territory. There’s a retro-futuristic vibe here, as if the old and the new have converged in a post-apocalyptic setting, with the debris and wreckage hinting at human ambition and its potential fallout.

Adding the slogan “General Motors is turtles making better products for turtles” underscores the piece’s playful yet critical stance. It pokes fun at corporate influence, turning a mundane slogan into a surreal commentary on industry’s absurd claims. Altogether, this piece captures a collision of nature and technology, hinting at the endurance of the natural world amidst humanity’s relentless, often reckless, progress.