Description
Charlie Brown, the famous Peanuts protagonist, is the main subject of David Sommaruga‘s Charlie Smile panel. Using a hyperrealistic technique, the artist paints the character on yellow metal panels, whose surface is made authentic by fragments of rusty bolts and cracked paint, in an abandoned industrial setting. Charlie Brown’s face is thus transformed into a mask worn by time.
The image is partially covered by shreds of paper that reveal fragments of the original comic strips, while two ruined stickers, depicting yellow smileys, cover his eyes. The surface of the panel is also entirely decorated with graffiti, chaotically superimposed on the character’s drawing. These elements are a sign of decadence, of an outdated, ancient, abandoned pop culture.
The iconic childhood character takes on an almost horror-like appearance thanks to two elements: the eyes covered by stickers and a flow of rust from old bolts, which creates almost bloody tears on Charlie Brown’s face.
