Medical Malpractice

1975, oil/canvas, 36" x 48"

Standing on golden assets, the bat-winged medical malpractitioner hovers over a patient whose peace-symbol-on-the-brain must be excised. Also, the malpractitioner exposes monetary impactions, exchanges foot with hand, transforms athlete's foot fungus into mushroom foot fungus, replaces genitals with a telegraph key (for lasting emissions). Discarded leg bones become table legs and golf clubs; valued human parts become high-priced, saleable items; unprofitable goods are trashed. Missile hypos and an ICBM thermometer are poised for surprise attack. The snaked caduceus is torn apart, one half in the funeral urn, the other far out of reach, and surrounded by the astral light of the Hippocratic oath. Laboratory experiments on the horizon set future goals for the malpractitioner.