Art & War
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Cheyenne
Ms. Smarty Pantsless
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How about the Berlin Wall?
Some of the artwork was beautiful. I especially liked the painted scenes of cracks in the wall with flowers growing through. Or of openings in the wall as if they could see the other side.
Why were these painted? Dreams.
Some of the artwork was beautiful. I especially liked the painted scenes of cracks in the wall with flowers growing through. Or of openings in the wall as if they could see the other side.
Why were these painted? Dreams.
As an artist, I know that at high stress times in my life, my art seems to come alive. I tend to have more passion in me to pour out onto my canvas, and I have a more effective mission.... Dealing with anger, fear even rage in a non violent way.
If violence where a common thing around me, I know I would be constantly sketching, color washing, etc... just to keep my nerves at ease.
It is truely theraputic.
If violence where a common thing around me, I know I would be constantly sketching, color washing, etc... just to keep my nerves at ease.
It is truely theraputic.
"An 'art discourse' --
-- the ideal of cultural experience is transcendence; art provides a means of rising above the everyday, leaving the body, denying the significance of historical time and geographical place." Simon Frith, Diacritics (1991).
I guess that encapsulates the sort of ideas you were trying to stimulate. Art (at times of war) is also used for propoganda as well as for 'escape': think of Soviet Realism for one example, with the larger than life heroic soldiers, nurses etc. The fact that art as cultural capital carries so much value might begin to explain Nazi Germany's preoccuaption with seizing works of art. It can't have just been because those taking the art happened to like it! I don't have any ready references to hand, but I do know that there is a wealth of reading material about this subject out there. I'd add more, but I need to do some reading myself [Picasso's work Guernica, 1937 comes to mind].
-- the ideal of cultural experience is transcendence; art provides a means of rising above the everyday, leaving the body, denying the significance of historical time and geographical place." Simon Frith, Diacritics (1991).
I guess that encapsulates the sort of ideas you were trying to stimulate. Art (at times of war) is also used for propoganda as well as for 'escape': think of Soviet Realism for one example, with the larger than life heroic soldiers, nurses etc. The fact that art as cultural capital carries so much value might begin to explain Nazi Germany's preoccuaption with seizing works of art. It can't have just been because those taking the art happened to like it! I don't have any ready references to hand, but I do know that there is a wealth of reading material about this subject out there. I'd add more, but I need to do some reading myself [Picasso's work Guernica, 1937 comes to mind].
Andra_Jenny
Mentally Divergent
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During times of turmoil and societal breakdown, I would argue that the artist is freed of the bounds of his/her society/culture, that is that there is the same amount of good art, but we censor it in so many subtle ways.
SleepingWarrior
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Only major thing I can remember is the appearance of Haley's Comet on the tapestry depicting the Battle of Hastings in 1076....the one where William the Conqueror gained control of England.
Andra_Jenny
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1066?
The tapestry was mage later though.
The tapestry was mage later though.
SleepingWarrior
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Well the battle was in 1066 or 1076 (one of the 2 not quite sure) no clue when the tapestry was actually completed.
Andra_Jenny
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1066, I think, but I've done a lot of Colombia, too . We had a Sociology text when I was in college and I was reading it when I came upon the statement that the Magna Carta had been signed in 1066. I took it to the professor and in conversation wondered how after x number of semesters no one had spotted it. I wrote the author at the urging of my professor and learned that usually people are greatful for that and as an upshot in subsequent versions, I had my name in with the list of contributors, so that is so cool.
But the numbers of students who just read and never thought about what they were reading...
The Bauyoux (sp?) I know was done afterwards, saw it on the history channel, so it may not fit in Lavender's point about art in turbulent times.
. We had a Sociology text when I was in college and I was reading it when I came upon the statement that the Magna Carta had been signed in 1066. I took it to the professor and in conversation wondered how after x number of semesters no one had spotted it. I wrote the author at the urging of my professor and learned that usually people are greatful for that and as an upshot in subsequent versions, I had my name in with the list of contributors, so that is so cool.But the numbers of students who just read and never thought about what they were reading...
The Bauyoux (sp?) I know was done afterwards, saw it on the history channel, so it may not fit in Lavender's point about art in turbulent times.
Ezzy
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Texan
'nuf said
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just a thought
I am terribly NON aesthetic. I'm very technical. As I recall, a huge portion of the greatest technological advances have also come as a result of war.
Maybe war doesn't just inspire the artist, but rather creates an atmosphere of "urgency" that drives people to greater heights of accomplishment.
War is a terrible thing, but from the worst of life's experiences, our character is born.
I am terribly NON aesthetic. I'm very technical. As I recall, a huge portion of the greatest technological advances have also come as a result of war.
Maybe war doesn't just inspire the artist, but rather creates an atmosphere of "urgency" that drives people to greater heights of accomplishment.
War is a terrible thing, but from the worst of life's experiences, our character is born.
unusuallyconfused
BLUE EYED BABE
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I think overall that some of the best character we find in the human race can be attributed to tragedy. It dosn't surprise me that great art would arise from the holocaust since the suffering surpasses what any one of us will not probably ever experience. I think some people fall apart during those times, yet the ones that triumph create and give us something significant.
I have not seen any of the art which you are speaking about, can you show it on this thread? Is it on the internet? It has piqued my interest.
Good night, I'm tired.
I have not seen any of the art which you are speaking about, can you show it on this thread? Is it on the internet? It has piqued my interest.
Good night, I'm tired.
As another artist, here's my two cents:
Powerful art or the impetus to create a large body of work relies on an inner motivation of the artist. If something doesn't really drive you, you can create work about it, but it pretty much peters itself out, naturally.
War creates amazingly powerful emotional currents, especially if you are more directly involved in it in some fashion. It leaves a huge impact on a person and if that person happens to be artistic (of any type), that will come out. It lends credence to a statement that one of my professors once said. She thought that all art was biographical.
On a broader level, art can be employed in times of war to renew or restate a concept of culture, nationality, and the like. Governments have used artists and their work as propaganda for centuries.
I think that the only things that provide as much insiration and drive to create are religion, love, and possibly death (could be included in war & love). These events that create such raw emotions seek an outlet in everyone that they affect. The difference with artwork is that is a more highly visible outlet than most people use.
It comes down to the fundamentals of being human, which alot of artwork expolres.
Powerful art or the impetus to create a large body of work relies on an inner motivation of the artist. If something doesn't really drive you, you can create work about it, but it pretty much peters itself out, naturally.
War creates amazingly powerful emotional currents, especially if you are more directly involved in it in some fashion. It leaves a huge impact on a person and if that person happens to be artistic (of any type), that will come out. It lends credence to a statement that one of my professors once said. She thought that all art was biographical.
On a broader level, art can be employed in times of war to renew or restate a concept of culture, nationality, and the like. Governments have used artists and their work as propaganda for centuries.
I think that the only things that provide as much insiration and drive to create are religion, love, and possibly death (could be included in war & love). These events that create such raw emotions seek an outlet in everyone that they affect. The difference with artwork is that is a more highly visible outlet than most people use.
It comes down to the fundamentals of being human, which alot of artwork expolres.
G
Guest
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My pleasure!
One of the things that fascinates me about art is that it can involve so many other aspects of life. I'm interested in a broad area of topics and I can get something on all of them through different works of art. In order to seriously study some pieces, you also need to study it's context; the culture and time in which it is/was created. It reflects the individual and the society.
Plus, it looks cool!
One of the things that fascinates me about art is that it can involve so many other aspects of life. I'm interested in a broad area of topics and I can get something on all of them through different works of art. In order to seriously study some pieces, you also need to study it's context; the culture and time in which it is/was created. It reflects the individual and the society.
Plus, it looks cool!
