ENTER THE TEA PARTY

“Obama with a Hitler mustache was all over
the news. Sometimes something makes you laugh
and you don’t even really want to figure out why.
I did draw this before I figured it out. I guess
the image is about icon status—it’s saying
Obama’s as much the Mona Lisa as he’s Hitler,
and the Mona Lisa is the ultimate celebrity.”

–BARRY BLITT

BARRY BLITT imagined Hitler mus-
taches on all presidents (right and below).
Time’s Man of the Year format (left), an
extremely powerful style of magazine
cover that lasted for decades, familiarized
the public with the likenesses of genera-
tions of world leaders.

THE TEA PARTY introduced new
visual vocabulary. What can an artist do
with a teacup? Bob Staake used a simpli-
fied palette to show a teakettle’s post-
nasal drip into a cup (opposite). Barry
Blitt had the new president stubbing out
his cigarette in one (above).

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