O.K. by me in America!

Chita Rivera: Anita, Broadway, 1957

Everyone there will have moved here!

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Americana

When looking for visuals to celebrate the 4th my choices were varied.  I started  a number of different pieces which cover many Americana symbols. I searched a Captain America theme, an Apple Pie, coca-cola and cowboy visuals..  I may use some of what I saved in the future, but  in the end, it was the image above that formed the basis for this piece. 

Vintage military images are easy to find, but I decided to focus on comics and magazines with the American military as their cover art.  Military themed images and promotion was huge in the past, not only for recruitment, but also as a way to ensure the general public bought that war was a great career choice and a positive male bonding extravaganza.  There was little room for the truth of the true horror that war was, and continues to be. 

It was not surprising, that sailors were the focus in so many of the images. Sailors have always been used as a symbol of not only youth and vitality, but also as blatant examples of sex and sexuality. Sailors represent the young, the innocent.  They also represent the incredibly horny teenagers side of the military,  . 

Their uniforms are interesting, not tough and masculine like those worn by soldiers.  There is almost a unisex feel to the white sailor suit that appeals to a much wider and diverse audience.

Catch of the day!