Serge Verheugen: The Son
Acrylic on canvas, 200 x 250 cm., 1995, private collection.
This painting was made for an exhibition called “Man for Man”, in which a number of male artists commented on the male image and the concept of ‘image-building’. The works were shown in upmarket menswear stores in Amsterdam, stores themselves bastions of ‘the male image’.
In a style, reminiscent of social-realist and early impressionist painting, a coloured parking-attendant is painted, posing next to an expensive car, he just clamped. The man is a modern hunter next to some freshly caught game. He is an image-wrecker, rather than an image-builder.
His uniform gives him the power to reduce powerful and successful men to puffing, screaming heaps of helplessness, full of hate and frustration. The attendant himself quietly smiles and looks confidently at the viewer.
He knows he’s right.
He wears his gold chain and gold watch and holds his walkie-talkie and ticket-book. Only the epaulettes on his shirt, distinguish him from the cell-phone and pfilofax holding owner of the car.
These are people we love to hate. But don’t forget, he could be our son…
this is the real man enjoying his work, while the car owner pissed off…..Jah bless.