MAGA Overflows with Creativity Throughout the Fine Arts

It might have taken a while, but the MAGA crowd is finally living the late Andrew Breitbart’s adage, "Politics is downstream from culture."

The left has known this for decades, with shows, movies, and their not-so-subliminal messages. MAGA’s rallying spot for strategy, inside baseball, proactive political involvement — much like ginger juice shots we add to our diet as a highly anticipated "extra" — is Stephen K. Bannon’s Warroom.

As it turns out, MAGA is overflowing with creativity, to express its ideals, passions, and fears, through all the fine arts.

In its midst of its staff and long-time associate of Bannon’s is Dan Fleuette.

His career as a show and film producer was somewhat hiding his light under a bushel.

But as the New Testament advises in Matthew 5:15, "Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house."

Fluette, who studied photography at Los Angeles’ Otis School of Art, has a singular style and point of view with portrait photography. Indeed, he has let loose in "Rebels, Rogues and Outlaws: A Pictorial History of Warroom."

I went down to the world’s epicenter of power for a party celebrating the artist at the new Butterfield’s, blocks from the White House.

Many of his portrait subjects and VIPs were present, people who promise to be a "Who’s Who" in the upcoming Trump administration, including Christina Bobb, Hogan Gidley, George Santos, David Bossie, Raheem Kassam, Sebastian Gorka and of course, Steve Bannon.

One day, I hope Fleuette does a full collection of just self-portraits: he seems to have a Smith Island cake number of personality layers, with lots of untold stories.

Speaking to the room, he admitted to being "A little bit sad that it’s over."

Describing his photo subjects, he digs into literature, historic and pop culture references.

Though Fleuette confesses to be a fan of Annie Leibovitz’ portraiture work, I see his portraits as being nothing alike — and much superior to hers.

While Leibovitz’ subjects must conform to her world and fantasy ideas, Fleuette wants to dig deeply in to his subjects. "I want to understand each personality. I want to see what makes them tick, I don’t really have time to be star-struck."

Fluette’s work is much more reminiscent of Richard Avedon or Diane Arbus, all about the individual as is. Many of the photos are with a dark background, with the subjects wearing dark clothing, serving as a kind of pinpoint light on the face.

He mentioned to the crowd that he is also a fan of 1930’s New York City crime photos, and that’s why some of his portraits seem like artistic mug shots.

Bannon took that remark with grace, considering.

He says, "It’s a phenomenal time to be alive, to be able to explore those up and coming, watch them rise."

He notes that "These are the people we need to make effective change in this country."

I had the opportunity to speak with Fleuette alone.

I wondered at what point of working on Warroom did he realize the people were important. "I knew it was some kind of historical happening."

Of course, one photo he hasn’t taken but wants to, President-Elect Donald J. Trump.

Fluette clearly enjoys this reborn aspect of creativity as much as we do: he considers it a "meditative process."

Tamar Alexia Fleishman was the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's youngest female solo violinist. She travels globally, providing readers with international flavor and culture. She's debated Bill Maher, Greta Van Susteren and Dr. Phil. She practices law in Maryland with a J.D. from the University of Baltimore and a B.A. in Political Science from Goucher College. Read Tamar Alexia Fleishman's Reports — More Here.