Untitled [Richie with Gun]

Bill Owens

1971

See More of the Collection

Lee Neugent and Cat, David Spear, gelatin silver print
The Royal Dream, Lynda Frese, Iris print
Wiley has diagonally bisected this composition into a heavily painted upper section of dense patterns, and a lower section in which he drew on the raw canvas in pencil, creating a vast network of doodles, notes, visual puns, and diagrams.
Flag on pink satin depicts two green snakes wrapped around central post, known as the "poteau mitan" (the central post of a Vodou temple). Vines with dark pink and gold flowers and leaves flank the central motif, all against a circular background of gray sequins. Four corners of flag feature other ritual objects including cup, candle, rattle, and pouring container against light pink sequins. Border has black scallops with light blue beads. Central motif is associated with the "loa" Damballah.