Today is the day of the 2012 Presidential Election in the USA. Polling stations will begin closing in eastern states at 19:00 Eastern Standard Time (00:00 Greenwich Mean Time). If I was an American I know exactly who I would vote for and if we lived in a perfect Utopia I’d be chanting Michelle Obama for president, (cue Michelle Obama speech to delegates at the Democratic National Convention here) but I suppose her husband will have to do.
On a serious note, when taking into consideration the interest of women, president Obama has implemented Obama Care, which includes well woman visits, contraceptives and related counseling, testing for HPV which commonly affects women, breastfeeding support and screening and counseling for domestic and interpersonal violence. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have pledged to repeal Obama care which will see the elimination of one of the largest providers of women’s health services which includes breast and cervical cancer screenings and birth control, putting women’s health care in jeopardy. We have already seen the effects of ignorant men in power; so keeping a president in power that is concerned with the interests of women and married to an admirable woman would be the most sensible choice when considering the opposition.
The Women for Obama campaign established in 2007 has enlisted popular female figures in the media, to reiterate why it’s important for women to have a voice in this election. Undoubtedly it is a very effective way of spreading the message to a nation obsessed with celebrity culture.
I spoke to artist Rinat Shingareev, whose paintings feature men in power presented in a very peculiar light. I am quite drawn to his illustrations of Obama, who unlike other political leaders he has painted are not attached to negative implications.
Barack Obama
Editor: Your work features a lot of international male figures of power. Tell me a little bit about your upbringing?
Rinat: I grew up in a small provincial town in Russia, which I refer to as my special place. It had a tranquil atmosphere where education wasn’t restricted to school. My daily experiences with family, friends, females and locals within my community taught me a lot of life lessons that school couldn’t teach me. It has contributed greatly to who I am as an artist.
Vladimir Putin
Editor: Some of your paintings are quite complex, describe the creative process?
Rinat: The process starts with the idea that my art should only ignite positive emotions. I’m an observer who turns a mix of saturated colours into pop-art iconography. I portray the faces that we see every day in newspapers and on TV. I then create an environment where these unapproachable personalities can be observed from a point of view that reveals their human qualities. Whatever may be perceived, I do not render political beliefs through my work. My art is a mirror that reflects everything that is happening in the world that excites the masses and interests of people.
Editor: Why do you feature a lot of men in power and popular celebrities in your work?
Rinat: Society is interested in political figures and rock stars; these are the people and topics that catch our attention in the headlines. I just give them a bright, fresh and interesting take on the subject. For me, art is a platform for the realisation of my ideas. I try to turn something that is globally familiar into something new. I play with shapes and colours to present new facets of the characters and personality of these popular figures. I’m like a Director managing my actors and trying to identify new roles for them.
Editor: Do you think the hype surrounding these political figures takes away from your artwork?
Rinat: Someone who knows nothing about politics considers it their duty to open the morning paper or watch the news on TV. The main purpose of my art is to transmit the spirit of an era through the people who play a large role in society at that time. Andy Warhol’s work is memorable because he told the story of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley through his work. I am representing my reality now and I hope it has a life after my epoch.
To view more of Rinat’s work click here