General se promenant avec son petit chien 1960

Editor: So, this is Enrico Baj's "General se promenant avec son petit chien," created around 1960 using mixed media. It’s definitely… striking. The figures are so abstract, almost cartoonish, yet they also feel quite sinister. What’s your read on it? Curator: I see a powerful commentary on the iconography of power itself. Notice how Baj utilizes the collage technique. Everyday objects—ribbons, perhaps scraps of metal—become medals, instantly subverting the traditional symbols of honor and authority. The "General" figure becomes a grotesque parody, a hollow representation of leadership. Editor: The dog, though – it's hard to ignore! Curator: Indeed. Think of dogs in art history, their shifting allegiances: fidelity, yes, but also aggression, subservience. Is Baj suggesting the general's power is dependent on such blind loyalty, that this figurehead needs that affirmation to solidify himself? Or is it perhaps that war always demands followers in the name of safety? Editor: So the dog and medals aren't just decorations but clues to decipher the General's role? I’m not sure what to make of the floating head connected by what appears to be string. It certainly isn't a leash. Curator: Consider it, perhaps, the 'burden of command'. The string becomes the only link to those no longer with us. The constant echo in the leader's ear. Editor: So, by dismantling traditional symbols and imagery, Baj's not just mocking the General, but critiquing the entire system that elevates figures like him. It's like a visual deconstruction of power. I had originally found the piece rather comical, now, seeing those floating symbols…it has changed my perspective. Curator: Exactly! And hopefully, as an exercise, you and our listeners will start deconstructing more traditional authority figures of our past.