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Hot Dog Bridge
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Object number1974/5.24

Hot Dog Bridge

Artist (American, 1936-2013)
Date1974
Mediumlithograph
Dimensionsimage: 12 in. × 15 1/4 in. (30.5 × 38.7 cm)
sheet: 17 in. × 19 1/2 in. (43.2 × 49.5 cm)
mat: 20 × 24 in. (50.8 × 61 cm)
Credit LineGift of Dr. and Mrs. Christopher A. Graf
Exhibition History"Humor & Satire: Prints, Drawings & Paintings from the Permanent Collection," KIA Long Gallery (Feb. 5 - Apr. 2007). "Surrealish: The Absurd and Unexpected," KIA Galleries 2 & 5 (June 4 - September 11, 2022) Label Text"What does Hot Dog Bridge, a seemingly whimsical work, try to convey to the viewer? Is it a gentle ribbing towards the art world, which, at times, can be all too serious? Is it a commentary on the American experience? After all, what’s more American than a hotdog? Or does the rainbow spanning a Southwest landscape symbolize hope and unity? Unfortunately, Russell T. Gordon wrote little about his specific works. Perhaps the artist desired to allow viewers the space to reflect on their experiences and apply their own meaning to the piece. Gordon’s compositions are colorful and often use contradictory or unnatural elements such as a hot dog serving as a bridge. Gordon remarks in the book Russell T. Gordon: Over Easy: “Finally, every day, on a fundamental level, I want to engage you, the viewer, with the painting’s dynamics; I then want to pull you in. The multiple layers, the mix, the collage, the assemblage of elements from many different sources, and the juxtaposition, provide energy and emotional force. It must be this way in my painting because it is this way in my life.”" [from the exhibition, Surrealish: The Absurd and Unexpected, 2022]