Paul Insect; Who to Believe (2007.)

Another one of Insect’s pieces that stood out to me was his 2007 piece, entitled “Who to Believe,” which was a twist on the lovable Disney character, Pinocchio.

This piece, I feel, would be very successful because of it’s association with Disney. It would reach out to a wide variety of ages ranging from ages 5+, which makes it a social hive. That, combined with the state that the image is in will make it a very successful piece for both good and bad reasons.

The concept of the piece, I feel, is showing possible correspondences between children’s entertainment and secret government forces and facilities. There has been a tone of speculation about whether or not Disney was fueling fascist projects and societies, and this piece clearly indicates some form of injustice, with the character’s nose morphed into a missile, cigarettes and cards poking out from his hat (indication of gambling and drugs.) along with blood dripping from his hands which indicates the possible loss of lives that America is responsible for.

The style of this piece is very simple, it is in the style of the Disney Studios which consists of thick lines and simple, non-blended shading. However, Insect has made this his own with adding a number of pieces to the image to make it much less child friendly. The splatters of blood and dripping paint give the image a much darker and street art feel about it, making the image much more serious and diabolical.

The techniques used in this piece are very subtle until closer inspection. They revolve around drips of paint falling either by accident or on purpose, giving the image an eerie effect and the splashes of paint coming off his fingertips adds to that effect, which I think is a fantastic looking effect.

I think this image would inspire me to create pieces of work on a larger scale, and not just use paper and pens. It makes me want to use large backdrops and use a range of materials to create an image just as serious as this. I also feel that Disney is a great and patriotic style of art, particularly in America and the UK. And drawing something now that I used to draw as a four year old and looking at the difference is an experience I would like to happen.