Ce N'est Pas Une Punter
Chargers Curator Wanker comments on The Surreal McCoy’s latest, an homage to Rene Magritte’s The Son of ManWanker: "Once there was a young man named Drew Kaser who played professional football under the bright blue sky in the seaside town of San Diego. And he was happy. But no more. Now his failures with the football — in particular, a 16-yard punt and a brutally botched job of holding the ball during a crucial field goal attempt — are threatening to obscure the man. His mistakes have become his identity. Storm clouds have gathered to block out the sun. The sea itself has turned ominous and threatening: an endless empty oblivion restrained only by a low wall. Even the elastic bracelets seem significant: Chargers blue and gold, but also black — perhaps signifying mourning for a career that died too soon. But of course, we should also remember that McCoy is an artist, and as such, his ultimate subject is himself. The punter, here subjected to symbols, is himself a symbol. McCoy’s team is off to a 1-4 start in a year when popular support is more important than ever because of the stadium vote. His job is clearly in jeopardy, but what can he do? Like the punter, he is regarded as a necessary evil: his successes attributed to the superstar players on the field, his failures placed squarely on his relatively narrow shoulders. Magritte’s painting was famously a self-portrait; with a little thought, we can see that McCoy’s homage is no different. And suddenly the title makes sense: it’s not merely a cute reference to Magritte’s famous Ce N’est Pas Une Pipe [It Is Not A Pipe]; it’s simply the truth."
Posted October 12, 2016