American Gothic

Does American Gothic ring a bell? It may not, but you surely know the painting that hides under this title. One of the most familiar images of 20th century American art. It was painted by Grant Wood in 1930 and  was exhibited for the first time in the Art Institute of Chicago. Grant won a nice price for that and became famous instantly.  A farmer holding a pitchfork with a woman dressed in colonial print apron are standing outside a house. It is often seen as satirical comment on the midwestern character, yet the author stated that it is a positive statement about rural American values. 

Here it is

So, what is the story behind the painting? Well, Grant Wood simply saw a house in Iowa that he decided to paint along with "the kind of people I fancied should live in that house". He chose his sister and his dentist.
They don't see very happy on any of the pictures, do they? 

Nothing extraordinary or fascinating. It may makes us think why do we even know this painting so well. Answer is simple; it is because of huge ammount of its parodies that  exist in American popular culture. This "fashion" for parodying it started very quickly: just twelve years after first exhibition. 1942, a photo taken by Gordon Parks of a cleaning woman Ella Watson from Washington, D.C. We see the parody even in cartoons for children.

What is interesting, you can make your own parody. While visiting Iowa there is a possibility of taking a photo outside the house. Many couples dress up and try to look as the famous two by facing the camera and holding a pitchfork or anything else.
Would you like a photo like that? 

Task: Find two more modern parodies of the painting