I Want Out

Pietro Psaier | Malibu, 2003 Mixed media on fruitwood panel | Edition: 5 of 25

The Piece

This work subverts the classic "Uncle Sam" recruitment image, presenting a weathered version of the icon that reflects the exhaustion of the era. Executed on fruitwood, the natural grain of the timber creates a textured, organic surface that gives the high-contrast colors a raw, grounded feel. The material adds a physical weight and a "street-art" edge to the composition.

The Protest History

This work is a 2003 reissue of Psaier’s original 1973 anti-war concept. It was produced in a strictly limited run of only 25 examples specifically for NO WAR USA, a prominent Hollywood-based protest movement. Issued during the height of the early 2000s anti-conflict demonstrations in Los Angeles, this piece served as both a donation to the cause and a visual manifesto for the "renegade" spirit of the Malibu art scene.

Provenance & Rarity

Numbered , this example represents the very beginning of the small, hand-finished run.