The Rachaels
An examination of the "Rachael" personalities during the Pin-Up deKooning series.
An examination of the "Rachael" personalities during the Pin-Up deKooning series.
The Pin-Up deKooning series developed into duel personalities during the production cycle. One version devoted a literal version of the source image which was found on the internet of a “camera club” model in an Indian headdress. This personality became known as Susan. The other version of the pin-up figure was a different story altogether. She would appear when Susan’s nudity and literalism no longer work- ed or was seen as an obstacle for gallery display. This personality became known as Rachael.
The images in the “Rachaels” collection present the opposing view of how the figure would integrate the deKooning influence. This transformation would require the elimination of the specifically recognizable elements that made up the Susans. The anchors of representation found in the face and breast were dis-couraged in earlier iterations, favoring universalistic approaches instead. These approaches created a sort of anonymity or disguise for the figure.
The Rachaels seem to always be in a state of transition during all of their appearances. Fragmented by the constant alterations and renegotiations of the figures the scaring becomes part of the language. The sessions became more extreme as the series progressed although rarely does this experimentation journey beyond the left half of the image that portion was established in the “Prequel”. The last plate shown is the exception, I had begun working on “Napoleon Monkey” and some of those elements crept in just before the series was abandoned.
The images in the “Rachaels” collection present the opposing view of how the figure would integrate the deKooning influence. This transformation would require the elimination of the specifically recognizable elements that made up the Susans. The anchors of representation found in the face and breast were dis-couraged in earlier iterations, favoring universalistic approaches instead. These approaches created a sort of anonymity or disguise for the figure.
The Rachaels seem to always be in a state of transition during all of their appearances. Fragmented by the constant alterations and renegotiations of the figures the scaring becomes part of the language. The sessions became more extreme as the series progressed although rarely does this experimentation journey beyond the left half of the image that portion was established in the “Prequel”. The last plate shown is the exception, I had begun working on “Napoleon Monkey” and some of those elements crept in just before the series was abandoned.
Version Three (Combined) Iteration Nine
Version Eight (Mastered) Iteration Four
Version Eight (Masters) Iteration Sixteen
Version Eight (Recombined) Iteration Three
Version Ten (Masters) Iteration Four
Version Eight (Masters) Iteration Fourteen
Version Ten (Mastered) Iteration Fourteen
Version Eight (Reworked) Iteration One
