I have read two articles, one on Socialist Realism and its revival, or attempted revival, and the other on ISIS's use and transformation of propaganda. The first article focuses on the return of Socialist Realism as a controversial art form. While proponents believe that such highly realistic pieces can be appreciated despite the conditions in which they were made, critics oppose all and any inclusion of Socialist Realist pieces in the broad, all-encompassing genre of art. Despite the conflicts, such are is definitely making a comeback, as the First of May Celebration (1950) by Yuri Pimenov was sold in 2010 for $1.5 million, breaking the record for a Socialist Realist piece.
Before we arrive at a steadfast opinion about Social Realism, we have to weigh the art as "a viable alternative to Western modernism, unfairly overshadowed by the Iron Curtain" and as "mere propaganda, destined to remain on history's back pages". The history behind the movement, especially Stalin's government's hand in the promotion of realism and the demotion of all other types of art in the Soviet Union, is key to understanding how such art came to be. One British critic, Herbert Read, stated: "Socialist realism is nothing but an attempt to stuff intellectual or dogmatic objectives into art." In the end, it boils down to how we differentiate, if we do differentiate at all, between art and propoganda.
In the article about ISIS, this difference between art and propaganda is much more clearly defined. Brian McCarty, a West Hollywood digital artist, found his photo copyrighted and photoshopped by ISIS in an attempt to recruit new members. This copyright infringement is made even more ironic by the fact that the original photo was based off "a drawing by a girl from Gaza, who lived in fear of missile strikes". McCarty's depiction of a toy Cinderella standing in a war zone with missiles falling about her head was meant to comment on children in war and to promote peace. In ISIS's version, the Cinderella is replaced by the terrorist organization's symbolic black flag.
Even after reading and analyzing these two articles, I am still left in doubt about the use of propaganda in art or as art. Can the beautiful and emotional Socialist Realism paintings be compared to ISIS's hijacking of Western artists? And most importantly, who are we to decide what is art and what is propaganda?
Before we arrive at a steadfast opinion about Social Realism, we have to weigh the art as "a viable alternative to Western modernism, unfairly overshadowed by the Iron Curtain" and as "mere propaganda, destined to remain on history's back pages". The history behind the movement, especially Stalin's government's hand in the promotion of realism and the demotion of all other types of art in the Soviet Union, is key to understanding how such art came to be. One British critic, Herbert Read, stated: "Socialist realism is nothing but an attempt to stuff intellectual or dogmatic objectives into art." In the end, it boils down to how we differentiate, if we do differentiate at all, between art and propoganda.
In the article about ISIS, this difference between art and propaganda is much more clearly defined. Brian McCarty, a West Hollywood digital artist, found his photo copyrighted and photoshopped by ISIS in an attempt to recruit new members. This copyright infringement is made even more ironic by the fact that the original photo was based off "a drawing by a girl from Gaza, who lived in fear of missile strikes". McCarty's depiction of a toy Cinderella standing in a war zone with missiles falling about her head was meant to comment on children in war and to promote peace. In ISIS's version, the Cinderella is replaced by the terrorist organization's symbolic black flag.
Even after reading and analyzing these two articles, I am still left in doubt about the use of propaganda in art or as art. Can the beautiful and emotional Socialist Realism paintings be compared to ISIS's hijacking of Western artists? And most importantly, who are we to decide what is art and what is propaganda?
Visiting My Grandmother
Alexander Laktionov
1930
Alexander Laktionov
1930
Brian McCarty's Piece to Promote Peace vs. ISIS's Propaganda to Recruit New Members
Socialist Realism’s Russian Renaissance Artnews |
ISIS stole artist's photo and used it as propaganda to recruit new members via Twitter |