Bipartisan Vices
 

The painting series "Bipartisan Vices" depicts portraits of ten cigar-smoking U.S. presidents, each represented without facial features, which removes their individual identities and emphasizes their shared roles and status. Despite their differing party affiliations, the series highlights the universal traits and behaviors that transcend political lines. 

 

Through faceless portraits with identical cigars, the series suggests that the indulgences and symbols of power associated with the presidency are common to all who hold the office. This artistic choice underscores the idea that beyond policy differences, there exist common vices and luxuries among leaders, reflecting the bipartisan nature of political power. It implies that certain aspects of leadership and power dynamics are enduring and unchanged over time.

 

The uniformity of background colors and the composition of each portrait add to the aesthetic and thematic coherence of the series. The presidents can be identified without explicit features, emphasizing that certain traits, habits, or vices are shared universally among leaders. The inclusion of five Democratic and five Republican presidents underscores that these indulgences are not confined to one political party.