David LaChapelle’s works are never without some cleaver message and background work behind them.  In this large and elaborate work from 2007 he derives the works of Théodore Géricault and Michelangelo.

“Deluge”, is a modern day flood story. The figures, all in classical dramatic postures are trying to escape the rising water. Ideal, Greek styled bodies are mixed with grotesque, silicon implanted, one-too-many surgery others. Men and women, babies and elders, all ‘on the same boat’. the ‘boat’ as can clearly be seen is the American Consuming / Corporate culture. They are all surrounded and hanging by the wracks of what is in a way, it’s foundations, it’s way of life. We can easily make out “Burger King”, “Gucci”, “Starbucks”, “Nike” snickers, chocolate coins, a satellite dish, shopping cart,  a mannequin, mineral water, a car, flip-flops and golden high-heels and most importantly, the entrance sign to “Caesars Palace” – The symbol of American decadence and levity towards history.

Click to enlarge

The composition and allegory are both derived from two earlier masterpieces. The first is Michelangelo’s depiction of the biblical flood story (which is also named deluge), in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. As seen below:

The Second, is Theodore Gericault’s The Raft of Medusa. This 1819 painting illustrates the actual horrific story of the people on-board the raft of the sunken frigate Medusa. The Medusa was a French battle ship which crashed along the shores of  Mauritania in 1816. The The collision was widely blamed on the incompetence of the newly appointed captain, which was a political appointing. All who was able, fled on the few boats that was on the ship, the rest quickly constructed a raft that was supposed to carry over 140 people. After 13 days, with only 15 people alive, it was rescued by chance by another ship. The conditions on the raft for almost two weeks drove it’s passengers to madness and even cannibalism.

The painting, besides it’s horrifying story, implements a lot of techniques and devices to convey it’s massage. The pyramidal composition and hierarchy, the colors of the figures and surroundings, etc.

LaChapelle might be telling us, by this reference, to be aware of dangerous of what may become if the consumer based life-style we’ve adjusted to will start to collapse.

(© David LaChapelle)