State of Confusion
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-2024-091 | March 2024 | Oil on Canvas | 32" x 26"
Late March 2024 carried an atmosphere of disorder as the presidential race intensified and competing crises collided. Under the larger year theme Time Has Come, campaign momentum, courtroom battles, foreign policy tensions, and partisan messaging all fed a sense that the nation was moving through unstable ground. State of Confusion captures that unsettled mood directly. Biden gives the "State of the Union" or as some refered to it as the "State of Confusion" as Joe seemed "jacked up" on something. The speech was received with distain as Biden seemed to yell and scream at the American people. A Gold Star Dad was removed from the chamber for confronting Biden about his son's death at Abby Gate. Tucker Carlson calls Biden SOTU speech the "darkest most Un-American speech ever given by a President." The anger and vitriol filled speech was not about America.Robert Hur testifies before Congress regarding Biden's cognitive abilities. "Pride and Money" fueled Biden's book deal and gave him $8 million reasons to keep and share classified information." Marjorie Taylor Green calls Biden to "Say Her Name" referring to Laken Riiley the Georgia girl killed by an illegal alien. Biden calls her "Lincoln" Riley and admits the illegal did in fact kill her as Dems heads explode. Supremes vote 9-0 to keep Trump on all ballots in 50 States. Trump wins 14 out of 15 primaries and Niki Haley drops out. Super Tuesday was "Super Duper" as Trump and Biden are now the Presumptive Nominees for each party. If Trump wins Trump will be the second President to serve unconsecutive terms. Grover Cleveland was the only other Presidentt o serve 2 unconsecutive terms. In the Fani Willis case Judge McAffee rules Fani can stay but lover Nathan must go. McAffee says there is an
"Oder of "Menacity." Menacity means "untruthfulness or tendency to lie." Chuck Schumer calls for new elections in israel criticzing Netanyahu's leadership after Oct 7th. The Border is out of control and Dems are now calling illegal aliens "Newcomers." Finally... Mitch Mcconnell is quitting after 39 years... Can we get a Yes for Term Limits please? Congress votes to approve ban or divest Tik Tok worth 100's of billions of dollars.
State of Confusion works on two levels: a play on the State of the Union and a broader judgment on the national condition. Rather than clarity or consensus, the images present a country overwhelmed by noise, contradiction, and political fatigue. The painting preserves a month when confusion itself seemed to define public life.
