And the Beat Goes On
Every painting in Chronicle of an Unquiet Age documents the defining events, people, and issues that shaped its moment in history. Created in real time as events unfolded, each work serves as both an original oil painting and a historical record, reflecting the belief that the news of today is the history of tomorrow.
TRTA-2023-085 | November 2023 | Oil on Canvas | 33" x 26"
As another turbulent year nears its close, many of the same battles that defined 2023 continue without resolution. Campaign warfare, legal disputes, border tensions, inflation anxiety, foreign conflict, and media outrage cycles roll forward with no clear endpoint. And the Beat Goes On captures the repetitive rhythm of a nation stuck in continuous upheaval. November 20th Joe Biden celebrated his 81st Birthday. He is the oldest president in History...and it continues to show. The National Archives will hand over Biden's records to the House GOP including 62,000 emails using his many aliases. Hunter Biden offers to come before Congress to testify but not behind closed doors in the subpoenaed deposition. Will he face Contempt of Congress if he does Not show? We shall see.
There are calls across America for "Intifada." "Intifada" translates from Arabic to "Uprising." The phrase "Global Intifada" calls for people around the World to participate in "Rising Up" against Israel. A truce was brokered between Israel and Hamas and over a 7 day period 105 hostages were released in exchange for 240 Palestinians Security Prisoners. University Presidents take fire from Congress as they testify regarding the student protests on their campuses. Calls for resignations after they refuse to condemn Anti Semitic rhetoric include Presidents of Harvard, MIT, Penn and more. Donors have begun pulling funding from these Colleges and Universities.
New House Speaker Mike Johnson releases Jan 6th footage to the public. Did Nancy Pelosi orchestrate January 6th to cause a "Fedsurrection?" Did she work with others and why did she have a film crew there on that day? Calls for Nancy to testify before Congress. Will she ever answer the questions? On November 10th Henry Kissinger the controversial Secretary of State who shaped Cold War history passes away at 100.
Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy announces he will not run for reelection and will leave Congress at the end of the year. Rep. George Santos is expelled from Congress. Argentina elects a new President Javier Milei. Called the "Trump of Argentina" he is spotted wearing the signature Red Hat stating "Make Argentina Great Again." In a Town Hall, Hannity asks Trump if he will be a 'Dictator" if elected. Trump replies "Only on Day One." "Shut down the Border and Drill Drill Drill." Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter passes away at 96. First Ladies Melania, Michele and Laura Bush were in attendance at her funeral including the Bidens and Jimmy Carter who remains in Hospice at 99.
And The Beat Goes On carries a note of weary irony. Rather than signaling progress or closure, the painting preserves a moment in real time when each controversy seemed to give way only to the next, as the cycle simply continues.
