Steve Justice Studio

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Rust Belt Hero: portrait of Roberto Clemente

Steve Justice Painting Title: Rust Belt Hero: portrait of Roberto Clemente Material: oil on canvas Size: 58x48 Year: 2013 “When I wake up in the morning, I pray I am still sleeping.” -- Roberto Clemente Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Roberto Clemente was baseball’s first Latino superstar. With his ascendancy the game became faster and the flat-footed Yankee-style of baseball became a thing of the past. Though his organization was (and still is) racially progressive in nature, Clemente had to deal with much of the same discrimination, miscommunication and cultural disconnect that other immigrants feel. In this painting he knows we’re here to watch him hit baseballs, something he does very well. The digital numerals before him hint at the new, electronic sport that lies ahead, but here the hero waits in hokey old Forbes Field, which is shattered into the colors of the Caribbean, of major league stadium sports, and of the flag of Puerto Rico.Title: Rust Belt Hero: portrait of Roberto Clemente
Material: oil on canvas
Size: 58×48
Year: 2013

When I wake up in the morning, I play I am still sleeping.     – Roberto Clemente

One of my earliest memories is of my mother setting up her ironing and other chores in the fallout shelter, so that she could watch the 1960 World Series between the hometown favorites, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the big, bad Bombers from Bronx, the New York Yankees.  She bought me a puzzle to occupy myself during the Series, which she instructed me could only be assembled on the wall, so I spent 9 days chasing puzzle pieces around the room. My 6-year-old brother re-read and annotated his Tolstoy, started on Mencken, then started on edits on his upcoming address to the joint chambers of Congress.  My mother ironed and re-ironed our clothes until they were stiff as plywood.  I could barely pry apart my t-shirts after she ironed them, let alone wear them.

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Roberto Clemente was baseball’s first Latino superstar.  Though his team was (and still is) racially progressive in its philosophy, Clemente had to deal with much of the same discrimination, miscommunication and cultural disconnect that other immigrants feel.  We kids were encouraged to admire the slick white infielders, but it was the dark outfielders who were doing the heavy lifting.

In this painting, Clemente eyes us like a thoroughbred.  He was the Seabiscuit of baseball in that his form was poor but he was effective.  He knows we’re here to watch him hit, field and throw baseballs, something he did very well.

The digital numbers here magically appearing before him hint at the new, electronic sport that would arrive a few years after this picture was taken.  In the meantime, he waits in hokey old Forbes Field, which is here shattered as if by a hurricane into the colors of the Caribbean and of Major League stadium sports.

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