Luis A. Jimenez
Barfly (Statue of Liberty)
1969, 106 x 62 x 40”, mixed media
Museum Purchase: funded by the Dayton-Hudson Foundation and the City of Fargo with a matching grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, 1979.006.0001
Even though the title and lyrics of “Back in the U.S.S.R.” refer to the Soviet Union, this Beatles song is based on American music—the sounds and riffs of The Beach Boys and Chuck Berry. Barfly has a gutsy demeanor and sensuous shapes, like the music in the song. With the figure’s reference to the Statue of Liberty, the sculpture is very American. We thought pairing Barfly with this tune would underscore the American-ness of the song, despite the lyrics, which point in a different direction.
– The White Album curators
