Week #39, Curious Creatures IV

Dusti Bongé, Untitled (Yellow Keyhole Person on Brown Background), c. 1950 watercolor on paper, 11 7/8” x 9”.

Herewith an example of Dusti Bongé’s Keyhole People featuring just one figure that dominates the entire composition. In this case, although the title suggests it is a person, it could also be interpreted as some other critter hailing from the animal kingdom. Either way, it is once again a very unique individual. 

Given its unique physical position, and its four limbs, this creature could be either a seated person, legs akimbo, or an animal laying down unceremoniously. Most puzzling however, is its head, which, in being shaped like that of a hammerhead shark, really throws one for a loop. It starts to call into doubt the hominid qualities of this being.

Regardless of whether the figure is human or animal, and regardless of its menacing head shape, this figure somehow exudes a happy feeling in the way it is poised in all its yellow splendor with its animated limbs against its dark brown background. And its surroundings, although dark, are nonetheless very animated by the pattern of black dots against a patch of white in the lower left, which dissolves into a pattern of white-accented bubbles as it moves to the right and upward. What’s most interesting is that the pattern of black dots on white penetrates partially into the creature’s keyhole. Most often the keyholes are left completely blank.

In general with Dusti’s Keyhole Series, there are often undertones of humor and absurdity in both the characters she creates and the poses they depict. The scenarios she presents allow for layered interpretations where one may see them as slightly uncanny, yet whimsical situations, keen societal observations, or even pointed social critiques.