Piece of the Week: ‘Diner Betty’ by FrankWermuth
Welcome to the weird diner from the mind of artist FrankWermuth. This is “Diner Betty“ and she is here to serve you. When I found my two eyes staring at Betty’s eye, I kept thinking about what a prediliction Frank Wermuth has for some pretty strange things, and that it works for him. It’s as if Betty and her four arms have waltzed straight out of a Balalamenti ballad in a “Twin Peaks” dream sequence. She’s here to entertain and to terrorize, in one freaky combination.
"Diner Betty" by FrankWermuth
Wermuth’s painterly aesthetic adds to the unusual effect of the work. The strange subject is emphasized by the delicate strokes that make up his classical style. Using traditional tonal changes and pictorial representation Wermuth has made a twisted modern classic style pop.
The staring eye of the cyclops woman is reminiscent of the foreignness found in Robert Frank’s photographs of diner women. Wermuth has captured how contorted humans can look under bright lights at 3:30am when the night creeps in. The detailed pencil work around Betty’s mouth is testiment to Wermuth’s skill. The cat clock and elongated hot dog sign act as diner culture cherubs of the night, floating around Betty in an angelic dance. This brow-furrowing sight is undoubtedly with great affection our Piece of the Week.
