“Knick knack, paddy whack, Give a dog a bone”, which undoubtedly it will lose. The themes of trauma, longing, detachment, and narcissism are bluntly inserted into the popular Netflix adult-animation show BoJack Horseman. These notions are made abundantly clear not only through dialogues and animation but also via artwork plastered across the various settings of the show.
The titular character is a washed-up actor living in a splendid yet aloof condominium in Los Angeles, California. This grand house is fitted with a deck and a swimming pool, which are reminiscent of David Hockney’s LA excursion. The characters sometimes interact in the study room where another of Hockney’s creations sits.
David Hockney is an English draftsman. He is celebrated for his immense contribution to the pop art movement in 1960s Britain. As a gay man, he was an admirer of the male body, which is seldom seen in his oeuvre. A longtime subscriber of the ‘Physique Pictorial’, published in LA, his excitement to visit the city knew no bounds. There, he was influenced by the confinement and the escape that a structure as unimportant as a swimming pool brings. Perhaps it was solidarity, which could only be experienced through the unimpeded water. As expected, swimming pools became a regular motif in his work.
In 1972, he painted ‘Portrait of an Artist’, often known as ‘Pool with Two Figures’. Inspired by the recent break-up and a chance encounter with random photographs, the painting depicts unreciprocated desire. It features two male figures. One is swimming nonchalantly under the water in a pair of white trunks. The other man, fully clothed (recognised by the warmth of his pink jacket amidst the otherwise cool hues) looks at him longingly. Whether it is lust or love, it’s for the pensive audience to decide.
The show “BoJack Horseman” is no stranger to popular culture. Casual name-dropping, anthropomorphised celebrities, and numerous culturally & historically rich artworks keep its audiences up to date with recent trends and news. Even Hockney’s “Portrait of an Artist” makes it into the show. It begs the question, ‘Does the painting bring a significant virtue to the show?’
The answer is yes. A big fat YES.
BoJack Horseman, mononymously known as BoJack, you guessed it, is a horse. Since the first time he appears on the screen, it is perfectly clear that he is a poster child for narcissism, substance abuse, dysfunctional relationships, loneliness, and more. It’s no wonder that an anthropomorphised ‘Portrait of an Artist’ adorns his study, a room where he makes the most important and often lucrative decisions.
The painting has underlying themes of narcissism. It is often said to be a pop art representation of the myth of narcissus. Narcissus is a mythological persona considered the most beautiful of all humankind. Once on a hunt, he came across a pool. To quench his thirst, he approached the water body. As soon as he saw his reflection, he was dumbfounded. The image was that of the most gorgeous human he had ever laid eyes on, instantly falling in love. Parting from his precious was equally painful as the image’s inability to reciprocate his love. Some say he melted away, while others theorise that he committed suicide. However, the lores sing in unison of his final fate, disintegration.
The swimming pool in Hockney’s painting and its parody are an allegory to the pool referred to in the myth of Narcissus. Both figures cloaked by their clothes express a desire to be united with the object of their affection. Their love or lust is evident in their gaze at the other figure’s naked body. While Hockney’s piece narrates the narcissism of gender, the parody doesn’t necessarily take support of this argument. However, both produce the same meanings or rather the effect. Both figures are unable to look past their yearnings and how this affects people close to them. It is said that Hockney fashioned the vouyer in the image of his former lover, Peter Schlesinger.
The artwork featured in BoJack Horseman chronicles a stoic BoJack observing a struggling swimmer, an ode to his substance abuse. The effect you ask? Terminal trauma. These two detached identities result in the destruction of and around BoJack. However, he is blinded by the glittering fame of ‘Hollywood’ and narcissism to notice that.
The semiotic motif of a swimming pool is too large to be ignored. However, each of his paintings renders a different connotation of the same pool. The ‘Pool with Two Figures’ is embedded with meanings. However, it must not only be taken as such. Perhaps the artist intends to bring about a change – a change in the intention, lifestyle, or otherwise societal isolation.
Photo Courtesy – Fine Art America
Rare David Hockney Ceramic Cat from Art School Days Up for Auction
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I love writing about pop culture and all things queer.
Sub Editor at Abir Pothi
