Arnold Mesches Essays - Arnold Mesches, Liberty, Painting

Arnold Mesches Arnold Mesches uses a direct and outspoken type of art to present the work, Art In Public Places I. He is an abstract expressionist who's work has become less literal in the past few years. Mesches started exhibiting in 1945 with the support of his wife. Meshes has a very original way of making his work. He takes a very famous painting, paints it on the canvas, then he blends over it by scratching and scraping. Then he paints over the old one with one of his own. Thus, creating a whole new painting. Art In Public Places I is a perfect example of this. In the background he has placed the March of Liberty, a painting with the Statue of Liberty and people marching. After blending and scratching that, he placed two people being hung. There is much significance to these two people because they are Mussolini and his mistress. Hanging upside down, and by their feet, signifies that freedom has come because Mussolini is dead. Mesches also shows that freedom is here to stay becuase of the Statue of Liberty, with all the people around it. The statue has always been a sign of freedom, so when Mesches placed this in the background, he knew exactly what he was doing.