Strength of Art
Can art constitute an effective form of propaganda?
Art has always been a way to express the deepest concerns or state of soul in a veiled way. It leaves a room for the spectator’s reflection and personal interpretation. However, since art, unlike language, can be understood by everyone, it is more likely to be used as a heavy weapon or the so-called propaganda.
“A form of benevolent propaganda”
Alastair Sooke, an English art critic and broadcaster, in his article ‘Was modern art a weapon of the CIA?” provides different perspectives regarding this topic. Sooke talks about Max Kozloff’s “benevolent propaganda” point of view which is supported with multiple examples of the CIA involement in the worldwide spread of an American Abstract Expressionism.
In 1950’s Tate Gallery could not afford to bring an exhibition “The New American Painting” to London — so their tour to Britain was later financed by an American millionaire Julius Fleschmann. The art critic also mentions Nelson Rockefeller and Thomas Braden, two presidents of the New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) who had “ties with the US intelligence community” and were actively involved in promoting Abstract Expressionism. On the other hand, Alastair Sooke comments on the fact that the first Abstract Expressionists were “volatile outsiders,” which cannot be argued since Jackson Pollock was called a “rotten rebel from Russia” and Barnett Newman was a declared anarchist. Both of them were excluded from American culture.
Another article “Modern art was CIA ‘weapon’” written by Frances Stonor Saunders, a British journalist and historian, who argues that the Abstract Expressionists art movement in America was not only sponsored by CIA but a well constructed propaganda against Soviet Union in the Cold War.
Frances Stonor Saunders states that American CIA used all kinds of art as a “weapon” to convince the Western world that America was a land of freedom in contradiction to a culturally closed-up Soviet Union. The article describes the process of financing massive Abstract Expressionism expositions in Europe. It is clearly argued that the American civilisation was not in favor of the new artistic culture or even hated it, President Truman summed up the popular view when he said: “If that’s art, then I’m a Hottentot.”
In the process of creating art different signs are used. Therefore, it serves as an abstract representation of an object, a person or an idea which is then spread out so that others can reflect on the initial idea. Delving deeper in the comparison of art and propaganda, it is clearly seen that both were originally constructed to carry an encoded message. However, while art is still the author’s expression of imaginative or conceptual idea intended to be appreciated for their emotional power, propaganda is a way of disseminating ideas or information for the purpose of helping or injuring someone or something. Art does not always mean that the artist was trying to propagate something but propaganda is commonly taking form of art since it can be easily understood by people from different cultures and backgrounds.
Banksy is a street artist who started from mysterious graffitis in subway and has grown into a globally known “art with meaning.” Political protest, humor and irony, invention and unexpectedness — his style is easily recognisable. His art works cover different issues seen in the capitalistic system and are purely propagandistic. Spread of Banksy’s art started on the streets meaning that everyone can access and interpret it.
Banksy is a first artist who managed to unfold a different side of street art, his paintings moved from streets to the museums, his exhibitions are travelling all over the world and his art is commonly known.One of his works, Mickey Mouse Eaten By a Snake, embodies the consumer culture and criticises one of the biggest money machine, Disney. Thus, the artist is trying to get his message across and wants people to think about the world we live in, our values and perceptions.
Art can have different meanings and forms but it always manipulates human emotions and hence, it can be related or interpreted. However, while some artists create in order to show the beauty of art, others are trying to spread different ideas and concepts through art.
