If Only Hillary Would Pick Up the Phone We Could All Sleep Soundly

It's 3am. A phone is ringing in the White House. Meanwhile a mother frets as she looks over her child who is sleeping soundly. However, she just knows in her gut that "something is happening". But there is no need to worry as the phone is being picked up right this moment by the Commander In Chief who never sleeps. Yes, it's 3am and she's dressed and ready for action, her Rolodex of all the right people within focus of her bifocal lenses.

The Hillary Clinton campaign ad featuring the 3am phone call while a mother frets over her sleeping children reminded me of Makan Emadi's work of George Bush sleeping soundly. This clever little piece even includes a ceramic head of the restful Commander-in-Chief George W. Bush made by the hands of the multi-talented artist Makan Emadi.

When I first saw the ad replayed on PBS's "Bill Moyer's Journal" last night with analysis by Kathleen Hall Jamieson, it actually made me laugh. Oh, my god, something’s happening! Be scared, be very scared! But don’t worry, mother, your little children can keep on sleeping soundly, as Commander-in-Chief Clinton is picking up the phone and knows just whom to call to make it all better. In the morning you’ll still be able to go to the mall.

But it struck some fear into me too; isn’t this the very same tactic used by the Bush campaign in 2004? Recall the references to "the smoking gun being a mushroom cloud" and "uranium yellow-cake sales from Nigeria to Iraq" that made a lot of mall-shoppers vote for George Bush? Hopefully tactics like this remind people how this is more of the "same old, same old".

Hopefully Makan Emadi won't be laying a bomb-splattered doll of Hillary Clinton next to George Bush in the near future. Come to think of it, perhaps he should be busy making dolls of worried mothers and sleeping children to lay beside Hillary Clinton under the blood-splattered bed-covers.

So what do you think? Your comments are welcome.

Makan Emadi Interviewed by Canadian Broadcasting about his Islamic Erotica Series

Makan (Max) Emadi is still on a roll with all the attention his series of paintings "Islamic Erotica" is getting. He was interviewed yesterday by CBC Radio One's Jian Ghomeshi on the "Q: Your daily dose of arts, culture and entertainment" broadcast.

You can listen to the interview online by going to Podcast Makan Emadi interview CBC Radio One: Q.

What do you think about Max Emadi's series of paintings representing Islamic women in the classic pin-up style? View Makan Emadi's "Islamic erotica" and "Femme Fatale" paintings and post your comments.

Max Emadi's Femme Fatale Series

In a journey that continues to explore his Islamic roots and the role of women in the Muslim world, Makan (Max) Emadi has started another series of paintings that focuses on the Islamic dress code for women (hijab). As compared to his prior "Calendar Girl Series", the Femme Fatale series so far has focused totally on the eyes and head of the subject.

I'm sure Iranian-born Makan (Max) Emadi is well-aware of his intentions in naming the series "Femme Fatale". As the Wikipedia posting for femme fatale states:

A femme fatale is an alluring and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetypal character of literature and art.

The phrase is French for "fatal (or "deadly") woman." A femme fatale tries to achieve her hidden purpose by using feminine wiles such as beauty, charm, and sexual allure. Typically, she is exceptionally well-endowed with these qualities. In some situations, she uses lying or coercion rather than charm...

In social life, the femme fatale tortures her lover in an asymmetrical relationship, denying confirmation of her affection. She usually drives him to the point of obsession and exhaustion so that he is incapable of making rational decisions.

femme fatale Wikipedia

As with all of Max's series of paintings, it will be interesting to observe over time how it evolves and where it will eventually lead him. Who will lead who in this dance with the siren?

Aritst Max Emadi Making Headlines

ArikiArt member Max (Makan) Emadi has sure been making headlines for himself lately with his controversial series of paintings that features Islamic women.

When a Russian newspaper ran a story about Max recently, that was quickly followed by an email for Radio Free Europe requesting an interview with Max. Now the senior editor of a glossy magazine from Russia called "Khooligan" has contacted Max about running a story on Max in the magazine.

The price of fame has been some "interesting" email for Max, for example an email from Tajikistan that begins:

"Each moslem having seen such your scoffy work about muslim women first coming to mind to kill you..."

Max's piece of George Bush stripped bare as the fabled emperor does seem to get the writer's approval we presume when he writes near the end of his email

"You painted helly George Bush beautifully but our moslems????"