The Star Spangled Idiot: An American Nutcracker
       
     
 He is being manipulated: his mouth opens and barks when a lever is moved on his back. His arms swing back like a threatening bully, but only when pulled by a figure much larger than him. The tattoo on his belly reads: "I Follow The Chosen One."  His
       
     
 From some angles, the figure is frightening and clearly dangerous. He is so overwhelmed with anger, he is peeing just a little, which is visible through the back of his skirt.
       
     
 But from other angles, it is clear that he is a toy soldier—a nutcracker—playing dress-up. His boots are too big, his costume is mismatched. It’s as if he is an overgrown child who found daddy’s old army boots, and cobbled them together with a gladi
       
     
 The arms move independently of the mouth.
       
     
fromabovemoving.gif
       
     
Nutcracker16sixteenrocknakforweb.jpg
       
     
Nutcracker23twentythreerocknakforweb.jpg
       
     
 The “patriotism” emanating from his head is confused and twisted. The "tribal" tattoos on his back and upper shoulders are fueled by his idolization of indigenous courage, although he is overtly racist towards anyone of color.
       
     
 The tattoo reads: “I Follow the Chosen One.”
       
     
Nutcracker25twentyfiverocknakforweb.jpg
       
     
Nutcracker13thirteenrocknakforweb.jpg
       
     
The Star Spangled Idiot: An American Nutcracker
       
     
The Star Spangled Idiot: An American Nutcracker

Carved and painted basswood, aluminum, synthetic hair, pen and graphite. 20” tall, flat base is 12” x 14”.

This piece was inspired by what appears to be an uncontrollable rage—a rage that has infected a number of Americans, who attempt to justify their actions through a perverted form of patriotism: toxic nationalism.

Like the “Hollow Man,” this piece is part of larger series that I am working on: A Box of Toys. But this piece, like all the pieces in the series, is not to be touched—it is fragile, and may break if called to task.

 He is being manipulated: his mouth opens and barks when a lever is moved on his back. His arms swing back like a threatening bully, but only when pulled by a figure much larger than him. The tattoo on his belly reads: "I Follow The Chosen One."  His
       
     

He is being manipulated: his mouth opens and barks when a lever is moved on his back. His arms swing back like a threatening bully, but only when pulled by a figure much larger than him. The tattoo on his belly reads: "I Follow The Chosen One." His lever is dressed in violence, with an underside of more misguided patriotism.

 From some angles, the figure is frightening and clearly dangerous. He is so overwhelmed with anger, he is peeing just a little, which is visible through the back of his skirt.
       
     

From some angles, the figure is frightening and clearly dangerous. He is so overwhelmed with anger, he is peeing just a little, which is visible through the back of his skirt.

 But from other angles, it is clear that he is a toy soldier—a nutcracker—playing dress-up. His boots are too big, his costume is mismatched. It’s as if he is an overgrown child who found daddy’s old army boots, and cobbled them together with a gladi
       
     

But from other angles, it is clear that he is a toy soldier—a nutcracker—playing dress-up. His boots are too big, his costume is mismatched. It’s as if he is an overgrown child who found daddy’s old army boots, and cobbled them together with a gladiator skirt from last year’s school play.

 The arms move independently of the mouth.
       
     

The arms move independently of the mouth.

fromabovemoving.gif
       
     
Nutcracker16sixteenrocknakforweb.jpg
       
     
Nutcracker23twentythreerocknakforweb.jpg
       
     
 The “patriotism” emanating from his head is confused and twisted. The "tribal" tattoos on his back and upper shoulders are fueled by his idolization of indigenous courage, although he is overtly racist towards anyone of color.
       
     

The “patriotism” emanating from his head is confused and twisted. The "tribal" tattoos on his back and upper shoulders are fueled by his idolization of indigenous courage, although he is overtly racist towards anyone of color.

 The tattoo reads: “I Follow the Chosen One.”
       
     

The tattoo reads: “I Follow the Chosen One.”

Nutcracker25twentyfiverocknakforweb.jpg
       
     
Nutcracker13thirteenrocknakforweb.jpg