Since the 1930s, Jack Levine has been known for his realistic, yet satirical, depictions of moral and political corruption. In "Our Presence in the Far East", the Vietnam war is staged as a type of morality play. Alluding to the complex political scene in Southeast Asia, the western military official turns his back on a pregnant Asian princess, symbol of the war-ravaged East which nevertheless remains full of potential. Intentionally ambiguous, these figures are set within the chaos of a highly charged cubo-expressionist style.