The Flood of Laymen, 1964/67

The The Flood of Laymen (1967) edition, from R. B. Kitaj’s portfolio Mahler Becomes Politics, Beisbol, combines photographic imagery, geometric forms and printed text in a densely layered composition. A red silhouette, architectural elements and fragments of landscape surround a central newspaper clipping, creating a striking interplay between different visual and textual elements.
The work reflects Kitaj’s interest in literary, historical and personal references, which he often interwove within a single image. Mahler Becomes Politics, Beisbol was developed between 1964 and 1967 and comprises fifteen screenprints accompanied by a book of poems by Jonathan Williams, each relating to one of Gustav Mahler’s symphonies. Kitaj’s fascination with Mahler was closely connected to his interest in Vienna and European culture, while his Jewish heritage and personal biography became increasingly important to his work. The work is held, among others, in the collections of MoMA, New York, Tate, London, and the V&A Museum, London.