American Gothic Parodies Part 1
http://phistars.blogspot.com/2012/05/american-gothic-parodies-part-1.html
American Gothic Parodies Part 1
In American Pop Culture, American Gothic has become a cultural icon as common as Uncle Sam or the Statue of Liberty. There has been hundreds, Thousands of Parodies and references to this work by Grant Wood. The original was an American style called regionalism. Basically, the artist depicted the lifestyle of certain people. This style focused on the rural lifestyle of Americans. Unlike realism, regionalism was not too judgmental about its subject matters. It just showed things as they were. The couple in this painting serve as the perfect example of Rural life. Many wondered whether Grant was making fun of southerners. The seriousness of these characters leads many to believe that Grant really was making fun of them. Regardless, this painting has spurred as many parodies as the Mona Lisa.
Ok, with this introduction I will now explain a bit some of the parodies going about. Okay, the first satire has the American Gothic couple like ETs. From what I heard, alien sitings are most common in the South. The reason is that with so much isolation, it makes it easy to kidnap people. In Orlando, I was lost in St. Cloud at night. That place was so freaking dark that I actually saw the Milky Way (the Milky Way is rarely seen because of the City lights). Both ETs, have the typical Roswell ET design. This was the first official alien sitting (or at least the first documented by the media). The aliens are dressed like the regular American Gothic (except for the cap on the maiden). The final detail is the addition of the space shuttle in the background.
The next one is a fish themed American Gothic. If you look in the corner you can see the family Kanji of the artist. These dressed fishes look pretty original. The main fish husband has a trident, instead of a pitchfork. The scenery is wrapped in a fishbowl. The other fishes are some fine additions.
As you may all know, Asians are always copying the west. Remember the red Eiffel Tower of Japan? Anyhow, here is an Asian couple doing an American Gothic photo. The husband too has a pitchfork. The clothing are modern. The rural house is totally westerner.
The next American Gothic shows Batman and Superman. Superman is wearing his Clark Kent glasses. Both Batman and Superman are holding onto the pitchfork. The house is pink (this implies that they are seeing each other as a couple. This does not surprise me considering the whole Batman x Robin thing). If I remember correctly, Superman did live in the South. He is proof that ET's spaceships tend to visit the South.
The next one is my personal favorite American Gothic Parody. This is the couple from Beetlejuice. Here the ghost couple have taken the guise they developed to spook their home invaders. The house in the background is the one from the movie. It works pretty well because this dead couple haunted the South.
Ok, moving along... The American Gothic is also used for political parodies. Above we have the self proclaimed "President" of Venezuela. Instead of a pitchfork, Chavez is holding an anti-American sign. He may hate our values ,but that has not stopped him from benefiting from our oil purchases. I am not certain about the identity of the maiden next to Chavez. For a political parody it is not half bad.
Here is the American Gothic couple being played by children. It is truly quite adorable. Both do look related, like the characters from the painting. The black and white focus on the boy is also not half bad. Quite the lovely photo.
The next American Gothic serves as a critique for the rising foreclosure. Here the Gothic couple is angrily leaving their home. Behind the pitchfork, we can see the foreclosure sign. The style is the usual political caricature.
Now this is quite the change of pace. Here we have the Joker and Harley Quinn. Its so neat the turn from a moody Gothic to this lovely satire. Their clothing is a perfect fusion of their Super villains costumes and the attire of the Gothic couple. This is truly quite the original American Gothic parody.
The next one is a Lego American Gothic. The house, the pitchfork and the trees are made of Lego pieces. It really is quite the ingenious take on American Gothic.
Here we have the next American Gothic. This time the Gothic couple are in modern attires. The husband is in a tux and the maiden in an exercising dress. She has a yoga mat and book by Rica Warrens. The husband has coffee and the Passion of the Christ. I think he is also has an Ipod. Those are all the cultural icons of today's rural life in America.
As the Second Great Depression worsens, so does Obama's popularity. While searching for American Gothic, I ran into this satire of the Presidential Couple. Here Obama and Michelle (My Belle, these are words that rhyme so well...) are acting as our American Gothic pair. Instead of the serious pair, Obama and his wife smile with carrots in their mouth. As for the carrots, the parody is trying to make them look like horses.
The next one is the original American Gothic couple, but at night. Its hilarious seeing the old man with a teddy bear. The scenery with the shooting stars is not half bad. Their pajamas are hilarious.
This time we have the American Gothic couple like Robots. Their Tin design is similar to those from the Pixal Robots Movie.The tin design also shows up in the background.
The next funny one has the American Gothic couple dressed like Batman and Robin. Its no surprise that the maiden is dressed up like Robin. Well, if you think about it Bruce... an older rich guy. Robin a young and fragile circus youth... that is recipe for some weirdness (to make matters worse, Batman then got a younger Robin!!!).
The next one shows the Mario and Peach as the American Gothic couple. They both do look hilarious in their original Nintendo form. Very neat.
The next version has the couple as Superman and Wonder woman. Both are contemporary super heroes made around the 20s. In this one, they just placed the costumes over their regular attire. You know, nothing too far out there.
This one is from True Blood. The show is really, really bad. Worst vampire work in the history of Vampire culture. Well, all that matters is that they are performing the classical American Gothic. Well, this show does take place in the South...
I think this is the Twilight Couple. In this American Gothic, the Twilight maiden is looking at the Werewolf. They added the persona to explain the wondering eyes of the Wife.
Well, we all know whats going on here. This is an xmas parody of American Gothic. Pretty naughty. Its hilarious the stiff expression of the old man.
The next one shows the husband with his wife's head on his pitchfork. Many do think that the husband looked a bit psychotic. Its funny how her eyes are slanting toward the center.
The next one is a political cartoon featuring Hilary and Bill Clinton. Its funny, in this American Gothic has Hilary as the man with the pitchfork. Very lovely.
The next American Gothic has Mickie and Minnie. I remember seeing a very old cartoon of the pair a long time ago. In that one, Minnie leaves Mickie for the circus master. He woes her back and then slaps and dumps her. Its funny how kids cartoon change overtime... Its witty the transformation of the scenery of American Gothic into a cartoon. Very neat.
This one is American Goth...hehehe. Instead of the pitchfork, the husband has a skull. Its interesting the Egyptian symbols on the pair. Very neat.
Here is a pretty neat one. The guy has an electric guitar and the maiden is like a groupie. She has a weird lil circle necklace thingy. The kite in the background is pretty original. I think there is a black guy coming out of the house...eh, must be the maiden's lover. Most thought that the maiden was too young for the husband. Then again, in my sociology collage book I saw an old photo of a southern couple of a 20 year old and a 10 year old. It was a sickening picture. However, that was pretty common back them, specially in the South. Now a days, you only see such vile scenarios in Mormon cults.
Here the Goth couple is eating BBQ steak. The maiden has a bib. Very funny.
This one is the Iranian version of American Gothic. The husband is burning a flag. I think originally he was burning a US flag. This one would have been hilarious if we did not have war with them at the tip of our nose. Oh, well... I guess it cannot be helped.
This one is a Jewish American Gothic. The original American Gothic couple was either Amish or Puritan. The Jewish equivalent is this Orthodox Jewish couple. Their house looks a lot like the original. Instead of a pitchfork the husband has the Torah and he sports Tefilins (that blue sash thingy around his neck). For those that do not know, the Teflins is basically an antenna to receive additional emanations (power) from God. He also has the lil cap. Very neat.
Well, here we have Barbie and Kent as the Gothic couple. If I remember correctly, my first Barbie doll was a Mommy. My Kent was a doctor. Uh! This says a lot about the creators of Barbie. Still, I did have a lot of fun with my dollies.
This is the Gothic Couple as Kiss!!! Neat, I think the husband is holding a Fender guitar. The maiden has the makeup of Paul Stanley. The husband is wearing the face paint of Gene Simmons. I think that is everything worth mentioning about this piece.
Here is a kinky version of American Gothic. The husband looks very happy holding the whip. The wife looks very pretty with that blue lingerie. This parody was spiced up with a lil bit of night walker make up.
Here is an old political parody featuring McCaine x Palin. You remember, both campaigned together. You know, Palin and McCaine have the same age difference as the original American Gothic. Its a real bummer.
This one is simple enough. The American Gothic making faces. Heheheh.
I don't know why Michelle always looks like she is going to kill Obama at any second. If any one is a Bouser First Lady is Michelle (more so than Hilary Clinton). We all know, who wears the pants in this relationship. Who knows, maybe Michelle is the one controlling the country via Obama. Its not the first time this has occurred. I forget which president. Basically, he had a stroke or something. His wife starting writing speeches and decrees pretending she was the husband. Now should a president get seriously injured or something he automatically looses the presidency.
Well, this is the last one for now. Here the a Southern couple is posing as the American Gothic. Their house is similar to the house of the Gothic couple. They mimic the poses and the clothing rather well. Pretty interesting concept.
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