Decisions, decisions 2021

Carrie Graber created this painting, "Decisions, Decisions," in the twenty-first century. It depicts a fashionable woman in a summery dress, standing by a pool, next to what appears to be a mid-century modern house, against a very blue, Californian sky. The painting's composition, style, and subject recall the visual codes of fashion photography. This is the kind of image we might expect to see in the pages of a magazine. The title also implies a certain lifestyle of leisure. The scene appears to be commenting on the culture of California, known for its warm climate, beautiful scenery, and association with the film industry and the Hollywood lifestyle. We can assume that the painting is a comment on modern-day social structures and the idea of the 'good life'. As historians, we might research the artist's influences and intentions, the history of fashion photography, and the cultural history of California, to understand the artwork better and how it critiques the institutions of art.