Be sure to tell your friends!
did you get one of the matchbooks?
Click here for the story behind the art of William McDougal
email will
wmcdougal/at/roadrunner/dot/com
2011 Geometry A
Also an Ancestor
Its A Gabe Kaplan World!
a land before time
Jupiter is Everywhere from the Sky, 2010
Art Statement
From 1996 to 2008 Will took on an intensive course of study examining first Hinduism (in the music, art, mythology, philosophy, yoga, studying gurus, chanting sanskrit, architecture) and then a similar study of Rome (under the kings, as Republic and as Empire.) The spark or kernel of these photo collage works results from Will’s research in these fields.
Both of these seemingly disparate cultures make use of a vocabulary of symbolic form. This vocabulary includes but is not limited to the forms and features found in the images of any of the gods.
With these vocabularies of symbolic forms, (the Hindu vocabulary of symbolic forms found relative to the pagan Roman one) some extremely sophisticated and subtle ideas were able to be communicated to populations which were almost entirely illiterate, relative to we today.
With nothing more variable than one’s own perception, Will’s art works are like geo-metry or physics equations – Each image is combined from variables, coefficents and other factors – where each individual element in a composition is perceived subjectively. Each with potentially different values for each individual person.
All art, all symbols, all forms are kinds of mirror which reflect the individual. Viewing these works, perceiving them, one effectively makes a measure of the landscape of his own mind. The viewer assigns all the values in the process of his “consuming” it. This is true for all art, but Will’s work is done with these principles in mind, please pardon the pun. Perception is measure, or geo-metry. With perception one measures the world.
- equation
These exceptional art works by Will McDougal are composed like mathematical equations.
Most works 24″ X 36″
ALL WORKS DIGITAL PHOTO COLLAGE
There is a lot of exploration in variation in the images
in the works of William McDougal
Many of these feature President Abraham Lincoln, some feature other political figures.
There are also some obscure folks included, such as Edward Bernays.
Most works 24″ X 36″
ALL WORKS DIGITAL PHOTO COLLAGE
I'll be your mirror
AAA
Will continues to produce works like these. The most recent set (Oct -Dec 2011) are about ancestors. These works are represented at top of this page.
Other series of Will’s work include “Lincoln Happens” picturing Lincoln as though a kind of spiritual political saint. Below is a series of works illustrating His authority to the kids on Main Street — indicating that he is indeed Representing, and he is Representing Jupiter, lord of the Skies.
Know His Heart, y'all
Mr. Lincoln is cast in a way that Julius Caesar was for a period in his career in Rome. That role is as the chief Priest of the national religion. Many of these later works suggest that Lincoln is the representative of Jupiter. That is what these “UR Moms Have Posse” works refer to. He is saying, “Get right with the Almighty”. A little knowledge of Latin is helpful here. “Posse” is a word that comes from a verb. The verb Posse is about “being able, to be able”. In the days of the American “Wild West”, a posse was a group of able-bodied men who where on hand to get any 
tasks done. When rap exploded in the USA, the same term Posse was used here and there, and with the same meaning as in the “Wild West”. A posse is your “crew”. They “got your back”. Taking a look at Main Street USA, one notices that many kids are emulating what they see in the “street”, as well as media. Authority, for much of American youth, appears to be found in “thug identity”.
A direct translation for “UR Moms Have Posse” is: no matter who you are, regardless of any influence you may have, including the ability to call dependable people to come and help, when the time comes and the skylord says so, there is no discussion, one’s time is done. “UR Moms Have Posse”.
Lincoln in this work, is Representing.
Also, here’s a great video made with Will’s photo-collages. Check it out!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqZ3S9Gn4hg
William McDougal is an artist!
Most works 24″ X 36″
"Jason Bourne and Horus walk into a bar..."
Please contact Will for more information!
- the Spirit of Lincoln escapes
Papa Smurf
Most works 24″ X 36″
Abraham and Isaac
variations on a theme, symbols in perception
on the water
water of life, with RamaKrishna and a handsome young Mr. Bush
- water of life
an obscure 19th century Hindu saint named Ramakrishna
Please contact Will for more information!
Also, here’s a great video made with Will’s photocollages. Check it out!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqZ3S9Gn4hg
It’s outta sight!
It’s Dyno-mite!
WILL!
That shit is beyond hilarious. Thx for link!
I never once even considered the value of Lincoln
striking such provocative poses.
yes! as variable, many different values can be assigned to the image of mr. lincoln.
hi, good site very much appreciatted
I really liked the blog post. It is always nice when you can not only be informed, but also entertained!