Art Essay Sample: Outsider Write-up on the Palm Pilot Painting

Palm Pilot is an enchanting painting by Robert Deyber. The 36 by 36 landscape acrylic on canvas art piece captures a scenic horizon at the backdrop of a parachuting pilot escaping an imminent air crash. The pilot is depicted in a worms view of an observer with a stretched palm. Deyber employs tonal variation in the background to match up with the paintings thematic context. The tonality posits the stark contrast in predicaments of the personas involved in the art piece. Stillness is also highlighted in the artistic themes incorporated in the Palm Pilot allowing room for self-reflection on the audiences part. Painted in 2015, the art piece espouses American values undertones which modern art rarely focuses on.

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Deyber ,as a modern day, artist tries to capture the essence of the American values and their place in the world. Individualism stands out as the value of choice. As a theme and value, individualism expresses the American idea of self-independence. Individualism posits the detachment from the immediate society and environment. In this case, self-preservation and self-concern is highly emphasized at the expense of the other parties involved. Deyber depiction of the observer with a stretched arm clearly captures the self-centeredness that has become of the American society. The stretched arm represents the individualistic observer who seems to applaud the pilots narrow escape from death. The stretched palm is finer in details as compared to other elements in the painting. This seems to show where Deybers attention in the painting is-the palm, the individuals palm.

The resilience of the American spirit is also captured in Deybers art. The pilot is the true representation of the American never-say-die spirit. He survives at the backdrop of a dangerous situation. The dark background captures the gloom and negating nature of the events surrounding his parachuting. The painter employs use of tonal variations ranging from sky blue to a smoky dark tone. Deyber seems to communicate the transition of the pilots experience. Atop the sky before the malfunctioning of the aircraft, he or she was at ease and optimistic of the journey ahead which is represented by the bright blue sky. However, after the turn of events and at the face of his or her possible demise, the optimism turns to uncertainty and an epitome pessimism. Deyber, to highlight this, uses the dark colors to depict a change of situation. Despite surviving a possible crush, the painting seems to note that the pilots problems are far from over.

The title of the painting further espouses on the American policing traits. The Palm Pilot explains the usual hidden hand of America in many global fiascos. The hand continues to show how structured the American isolation policy is. It isolates itself from real issues and only participating in the shadows. The pilot only attains sympathy but not tangible aid from the palm owner (America). The Syrian crisis, for instance, can as well be compared to this painting. Syria is currently burning as America is watching only issuing threats and diplomatic censures. The pilot represents the innocent Syrians while the aircraft depicts the burning country that once enjoyed tranquility (blue skies) as it plummets into tough times (dark skies). The title further tries to capture the global illusion of America as the world police. In real sense, the United States global control is waning and cannot be compared to its earlier glory days.

A subscriber to the Neo-surrealism form of art, Deyber clearly uses the Palm Pilot to exhibit his imagination. The visual paradoxes in the painting fused by the subconscious images allow the artist to achieve much as a modern day neo-surrealist. As a growing art, the paintingdraws adoration and mixed feelings from the audience that imagines various ways of deciphering the bizarre imagination and motivation behind the art. With the relevance of the art to the contemporary American values and standpoints, the audience is able to interpret the American world in its own eyes and from the eyes of the rest of other nations. For an American audience, the painting calls for self-reflection on the relevance of the values it holds dear. Are those values worth imposing on other nations? Are those values essential in the contemporary world and multi-cultural setting? All these questions boil down to the audience and not painter.

In conclusion, the Palm Pilot is an exemplification of how well art can be used to communicate desired messages to an audience. The thematic expressions put forward, as aforementioned, illustrate the American values as imagined in Neo-surrealism artistic impression. Individualism is noted as a Central American value which does not seat well with other societies. The owner of the palm is said to be the self-centered individual that does not aid the crisis-stricken pilot. The painting is also seen to communicate the American role of world-police and superiority complex, which is on the decline. The stretched palm illustrates Americas perceived influence at the face of global crisis. Using the Syrian crisis, this theme can be effectively examined.