How to Slaughter the Opposition Through Art...

So, this blog focuses on how political parties use art to rally their respective sides. I find this form of propaganda very interesting. Political parties have been using art, political cartoons, commericals,etc to discredit their opponents. They all serve the same purpose, but they are done through a different medium. Most political propaganda conveyed through artwork, is usually about rallying the country and uniting as one...or at least that's what the people who release them claim. These two pictures so how artwork are be used to unify their political base. It shows how far art has come how those in the political sphere are using it to draw more attention to their platform. The first picture is of fmr. VP Dick Cheney with and oil mustache and the phrase 'Got Oil'? written across his forehead. This picture or ad pokes fun at Bush Administration and what many believe to be the real reason for the Iraq War. The second picture plays on the fears of the relations of between Iran and the U.S.A. The top of the picture is adorned with Pres. Barack Obama's famous catch phrase 'Yes, We Can!' I'm sure many of you are comtemplating if this is real art. I think it is. It may not have been painted, sculpted,etc, but it conveys an emotion or thought just like art. This form of art is not really done by artist per say,but it has an agenda just like the art hanging up in your local art museum. It wants the viewer to stop and think or it just might piss you off...nonetheless I think these poster can be consider art and I think that they represent where propaganda through the form of art is going.

Images: google images

Vladimir Lenin: Gateway to the Russian Revolution

Vladimir Lenin is known as the father of Communism. The noble man who was all about, the proletarians and a new way to strengthen Russia. This image of Lenin may not be a painting, but is art nonetheless. The poster was created by Shepard Fairey, you might recognize or know him for his posters of President Barack Obama. I like this poster because it is very simple and straight to the point unlike other political artwork, that you have to do some research on to understand the meaning. It's not trying to convince a group of people of anything. It is more of an ode to a man who made bold move(whether or not you agree with Lenin's political ideology is another thing). The poster is mostly blue and red with Lenin looking out into the unknown and the year 1917(the year the Russian Revolution took place) dwells above him. It nice poster that honors an influential man and it also showcases Fairey's other artwork.

Getting Back On Track...

So my blogs WERE suppose to be about propaganda artwork and how it impacts a generation and culture. This piece of artwork comes from the American printing press and takes jab at our good ol' pal, Adolf Hitler. The poster depicts Hitler with his pants down revealing his swastika covered boxers and beneath him lay tons of bombed Panzer tankers. This poster shows how art can be used to boost the morale of a country. It took aim at the German army and gave the American army hope that if they kept on fighting that they would find Germany's weak spot and eventually win the war. Most propaganda art can be misleading but this one is kind of inspiring and based on how WWII played out, I guess the Allies did find Hitler and his army with their panzers down.

Image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Ww2_poster_oct0404.j

Zhong Biao's Absolute Happiness

I am a really huge fan of Zhong Biao's artwork. He takes social and cultural changes that are slowly but surely happening in China and incorporates it into his work. Biao gives his viewers a glimpse into a world that has been shrouded in mystery and into a country that gives many Americans a sense of uneasiness. This piece of artwork is titled Absolute Happiness. The painting blends the old China with the new China and where it is headed. The old China is reflected in an old statue that lacks color and is sort of a backdrop or piece of a background. The man, the child, and naked woman steal the spot light from the statue. All three seem to be jumping for joy for some unkown reason. The child undoubtly steals the spotlight from the rest of the figures in the painting. She is bigger and very colorful. I think that this child represents the youthfulness of China and how colorful and vibrant China is becoming. The new China is trendy and exciting and more inviting. This painting by Biao represents all these things. It is his personal critique of what he sees happening in his country. I like it. It's very thought provoking and it total different side of China. I think it's better than the side of China that we got to see doing the 2008 Summer Games because that could have been a fascade,but this painting isn't.