Patriot Act:
Artist Eric Mesko takes on American pastimes
by Nick Sousanis

What does it mean to be a patriot? Of late it seems that anyone who attempts to question our nation's actions is accused of being unpatriotic. That is, "If you're not with us, you're with the enemy." This simplified view of patriotism ignores the fact that our democracy was founded on its citizens' ability to voice their dissent. Having just fought to get out from under the oppression of the British Empire, the Founders realized the necessity of our right to speak out and question our government in order to make the fledgling democracy truly "of the people."

In two concurrent art exhibitions, Eric Mesko exemplifies the complex spirit of patriotism with both a celebration and a criticism of America. At the Ellen Kayrod Gallery he offers a nostalgic look back at baseball of a bygone era, while over at Zeitgeist Gallery, Mesko confronts the current war, or more specifically those behind this war. Although these are two seemingly dissimilar perspectives, his admiration for the past and ideals of that era help inform his anger at the present and what he feels is being subverted.

Mesko builds sculptures culled together from abandoned wood and other materials found in Detroit's back alleys, a method of art making he characterizes as being a form of recycling. Old materials take on a new life, and the new assemblages are enriched by the inclusion of the old. These works, along with his cartoonish drawing and paintings, and his collaged works reflect a signature quality that is part whimsy, part social consciousness, and all Mesko. This sensibility comes out not only in his artwork, but in his role as an educator at both the elementary school and college levels.

A story from his childhood reveals how at an early age his strong passion and concern for current events was being shaped. In the 1952 election Dwight Eisenhower faced off against Adlai Stevenson. At some point in the campaign, Stevenson's opponents began referring to him as an "egghead." The 9 year old Mesko wondered why (since both men were balding) this meant anything in particular. His mother explained that they were making fun of him for being "too smart." This didn't make much sense since everyone was telling him the value of growing up to be smart. As an adult his artwork has served as a forum to take on things that didn't sit right with him.

Yet he says that too much attention to the state of the world can be overwhelming, and so, as a form of release he always keeps an entirely separate body of work going on. This consists of the construction of things like giant wooden fish and other more playful imagery.

His current shows straddle both of these aspects and are continuing a body of work he's been developing over the course of many years. The baseball related work is titled "The Shrine to the Great Game." And shrine is the right description. Mesko displays old photographs of the game, pieced together wood baseball players - homages to baseball greats of the past, a wooden baseball stadium, and flags - both of cloth and painted on wood and attached to baseball bats. All of these artifacts pay tribute to baseball's rich history and its significance to American culture.

Mesko's interest in baseball came to the forefront of his work about seven years ago when Dennis Nawrocki (then director of CCS's Center Gallery) asked him to be in a baseball show. For this exhibition, Mesko created the baseball stadium out of found pieces of wood. As he continued to grow the work, he incorporated a personal connection as well. The blown-up photographs in the exhibition are of Mesko's grandfather, great-uncle, and the coal mining team that they played on date back to 1908. His grandfather was the catcher and his grandfather's brother was the pitcher (three other brothers also played.) These men were at one point offered minor league contracts but turned them down to continue mining coal and providing for their families, all the while continuing to play ball for thirty years.

There is something very democratic about this exhibit of nostalgic American. By building his sculptures out of found wood, Mesko gives even abandoned scrap a voice as, for instance, a bit of a croquet stake becomes Al Kaline's arm. The photographs of his ancestors offer a testament to a pure love of the game before the age of celebrity and multi-million dollar contracts. He includes the text of "Casey at the Bat" which points out that even in Anywhere, USA (in this case "Mudville") the heroics and disappointments on the field were significant and meaningful epics for the community.

Mesko's Zeitgeist work "Tough Times in the USA" is part of his "War against International Terrorism." Essentially this consists of a multi-tiered critique of George W. Bush and his administration and is sure to draw comparisons to Michael Moore's big screen hit, "Fahrenheit 9/11." Mesko raises a voice of dissent not only from an intellectual position, but as with the baseball work, he has a personal connection to the waging of war. His father was a 30 year Marine Lieutenant Colonel who served in two wars. This meant he was raised to be a warrior, an upbringing that now plays out as Mesko describes himself as an "intellectual warrior" of an artist. Mesko enlisted in the marines, an experience which he said helped him "face the future with self confidence." The marines also offered an extremely important lesson that is a central tenet of his critique on Bush and his people: "You want war to be the absolute last thing you do."

This, in Mesko's view, is exactly the opposite approach to how the Bush administration has conducted itself. Mesko refers to Bush as approaching conflict with "zest" and "relish." While such words directed at the President will come off as controversial to some, this is a President who himself has taken pride in being a "war President" and has worked hard to create the image of being a cowboy, offering such statements as "Bring 'em on." Yet, as Mesko points out, even cowboys played by John Wayne were always "reluctant warriors," acting only out of necessity and even then with considerable regret.

Mesko's imagery plays up the theme of the reckless cowboy, making use of collage and old comics and pulp Western book covers. The faces of Bush and co. are pasted into these dramatic scenes for satirical effect (Moore uses a similar technique in one segment from "9/11".) In addition to the volumes of unique and engaging collaged works, Mesko has also filled the gallery walls with raw and cartooned drawings of soldiers, terrorists and the President. In one large painting, a caricature of Bush complete with a great white cowboy hat and a sheriff's star rides on his horse leading marines into battle. This piece, (an homage to James Ensor's painting "Christ's Entry into Brussels in 1889") is at once a ridiculous image, yet it is also perhaps telling about how this administration sees its role in the world or at least how it would like to be perceived. Baseball makes its way into the work as well, as in another painting, marines carrying baseball bats ("the Mudville 9") do battle with an Al-Qaeda monster.

In contrast to his over the top, irreverent works, Mesko has created a haunting shrine of flag-draped pillars surrounding a flag-covered coffin. The title "The last American killed in Iraq" is a reference to a young John Kerry's now oft-quoted words concerning the war in Vietnam. This offers a quiet, powerful moment and a chance to reflect on the significance of a single loss of life, an image that is not shown by the media.

While the shrine manifests a space to walk carefully around and honor at a distance, Mesko has also installed a fort that demands visitors climb through and discover its contents. Constructed of random planks of wood, wire, and oil drums, this fort is a physical documentary: a resource center stacked with political books (of all persuasions), magazine articles about the President and the war, a book of his collages, some pretty funny and sarcastic re-election posters, and a pair of televisions synched up to display a video. The tape includes Ted Koppel's controversial Nightline show in which the anchorman read the names of the then 700 or so soldiers killed in Iraq. There are also various war-related news bits, and an episode of Frontline - a public television show which documented George W. Bush's conversion to religion after struggling with alcohol, and how this new found faith now guides his decision making process. This program provides perhaps the most chilling part of the exhibition, as it paints a picture of a leader who doesn't question his actions or acknowledge the possibility that he might be wrong. Mesko states that in contrast to Bush, "I make a lot of mistakes, but none of these have caused anyone to lose their lives."

It is easy to wave a flag and call oneself a patriot. It is more difficult to question what this nation means, to stand up and declare that perhaps, "the Emperor has on no clothes." In his approach to our past and our present, Mesko honors that idea of patriotism and citizenship that the Founders had in mind when this country was dreamed into being. Mesko has poured tremendous energy and passion into this work providing in both exhibitions a great deal to look at and even more to reflect upon.

Mesko will be speaking about his work at Zeitgeist July 24 at 7pm. The event is free.

"Tough Times in the USA"
Zeitgeist
2261 Michigan Ave.
Detroit, MI 48216
313-965-9192
Zeitgeist
Sat 10-5pm, open during theater performances or by appointment.
June 5 through July 24

 

Mudville, USA
"Shrine to the Great Game"
Ellen Kayrod Gallery
Hannan House
4750 Woodward Ave
Detroit, MI 48201
313-833-1300
www.hannan.org
Monday – Friday 9-5pm
June 4 - July 23