In 2008 the political fever in America had reached a breaking point. This series of paintings was created with a historical presidential election fast approaching, a Wall St. market meltdown, and the war in Iraq festering in the background. American ideals had been tested and left to harsh questioning.

In 2008 the political fever in America had reached a breaking point. This series of paintings was created with a historical presidential election fast approaching, a Wall St. market meltdown, and the war in Iraq festering in the background. American ideals had been tested and left to harsh questioning.

The works feature soft colors and images that are stylized and defined, reminiscent of American realists Norman Rockwell, John Sloan, and Edward Hopper. By referencing this genre, however, Bergman challenges the American mythology. Choosing a historic context removed from the contemporary cultural climate is meant to underscore the lack of progress or lessons learned from one war to the next.

Here we are once again blindly pledging the flag while young men and women return from Iraq limbless and without adequate healthcare while we contemplate what to watch on TV.  

Lauren Bergman | New York City | 2008

You Never Ask Questions When God's On Your Side  |  46” x 42” acrylic on canvas