I War
One human is killing another.
In February 2022, the country that I consider my home nation launched an armed invasion that resulted in the death of thousands of people.
Celebrating erudition, intelligence, tolerance, life, culture, aesthetics and beauty, this event took me by horror in my studio in Germany.
Discussing what is happening with my relatives and friends in Russia, and even some people in Europe, I was simply frankly surprised that people support violent and aggressive actions committed in their name - "Russian". These made me try to understand and analyze such behaviour – how someone can support any war?
Since I have had the opportunity to get acquainted with different approaches to education in different countries, I want to compare the level of spread of contemporary art, and methods of education and trace its distribution and influence on the development of society.
Since the very beginning of the war, I did not have any doubts about the actions committed by Russia, but a huge number of acquaintances tried to convince me of the opposite, I will try to consider both possible thinking processes. I will use my personal experience and the research I have done in this search to understand the catastrophe of the century for all Russians. I understand that there can be nothing worse than the death of people that is now happening in Ukraine, but in my opinion, something irreparable is happening, which can lead to the death of all life on earth.
It seems to me that there is an obvious connection between the NO widespread of searching new in art, NO teaching critical thinking, NO stimulating a different vision of the world, NO free access to the international culture and launching a war with the mentally closest people of a neighbouring country.
Moreover, it is obvious that under a dictatorship in the country, in society, a different opinion or a critical assessment of the current government cannot be expressed. There is evidence of this in history, and it is also happening right now.
II Role of the artist
1. Historical development of art.
Since the beginning of humanity, art has always reflected on the events of war and aggression. In ancient states, artists worked for rulers who wanted to depict a victory or capture the facts of an event. The relationship between artists and the war has begun with the fact that the artist did not have their own voice and livelihood, therefore, so to speak, the artist was led by rich and powerful people as they commissioned the works and therefore messages.
Ramses II during the battle, shown slaying one enemy while trampling another (from relief inside his Abu Simbel temple). Late May 1274 BC Online. At: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Egypt_Abou_Simbel6.jpg (Accessed 25.10.2022)
The first critical thinker.
With this in mind only during the Renaissance, did more and more artists appear who can freely express their opinions. To give an illustration Hieronymus Bosch was one of the artists, who began to think outside the artistic borders of that time.
Hell panel from The Garden of Earthly Delights. It is alleged that Bosch's self-portrait is in the upper centre at right under the "table". Online. At: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hieronymus_Bosch#/media/File:Hieronymus_Bosch_-_The_Garden_of_Earthly_Delights_-_Hell.jpg (Accessed 25.10.2022)
Bosch just sharply asked a question about the reality of our world, about what awaits us after death and our creative potential.
He publicly criticized and ridiculed, for example, if this is a church worker kissing a man, then in the form of a pig.
If this is a killer, then this is an animal, a human cannot do this.
And the one sitting supreme just eats people.
This is one of the first artists who dared to challenge the foundations of stereotypes to express his opinion, albeit in such a veiled form, be critical of ruling people and all of this in a period of church dominance and political convictions.
Changing the tasks of artists
Above all, the changes that have taken place in the history of art - the artist became a free thinker and reflector of society. Now the artist does not fulfil the orders of the ruling elites, but expresses his mind and can influence the opinions of others.
2. Nazi Germany. Degenerative art and Propaganda
But during World War II, the Nazis simply announced degenerate art and showed what was bad and what was good. This is exactly what American art critic Clement Greenberg pointed out in his essay "Avant-Garde and Kitsch" giving an example of kitsch work – “there is no discontinuity between art and life” (Greenberg, 1961 p. 14). In such "good" Nazi art, the viewer cannot come to the "reflected effect", so he will simply perceive what he is told.
Adolf Hitler and Adolf Ziegler inspect the installation by Willrich and Hansen of the Degenerate Art Exhibition in Munich, 1937 Online. At: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-1010/german-art-between-the-wars/xdc974a79:nazi-fascist-visual-culture/a/art-in-nazi-germany (Accessed 25.10.2022)
In other words, the average person under a dictatorial regime is not given the opportunity to train their thought process. On the contrary, it is fed with ready-made conclusions and slogans.
In modern 2023, we would call it propaganda. I would like to illustrate it first with the works of the times of Stalin.
This Soviet propaganda poster was published during the second world war. It reads: 'Will give everything for the front!' Photograph: Leonard de Selva/Corbis Online. At: https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2014/jun/09/soviet-propaganda-art-posters-in-pictures (Accessed 25.10.2022)
Propaganda - information, ideas, opinions, or images, often only giving one part of an argument, that are broadcast, published, or in some other way spread with the intention of influencing people's opinions Cambridge Dictionary Online. At: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/propaganda (Accessed 28.03.2023)
In contrast, here is another piece of public propaganda that is currently being circulated in the Russian Federation.
Radio Svoboda. Mobilization for annexation 21 September 2022 Online. At: https://www.svoboda.org/a/32044600.html (Accessed 28.03.2023)
This is certainly not the art we are talking about here, but new advertisement billboards are based on World War II posters ones created by artists. We can see many similarities and image techniques through comparison of the topic, purpose, presentation method, etc.
Stalin-era posters and Putin-era posters are for public distribution, designed and produced by the government. The slogans written on the posters – «Will give everything for the army!» and "Serving Russia - REAL JOB" with the image of a soldier calling to support the country's army. Both examples show the symbols of the country - a red flag for the USSR and a tricolour flag for the Russian Federation. The depicted men are dominant in relation to the entire image and are surrounded or dressed in military attributes. Such a comparison demonstrates an unambiguous idea of the superiority of the army, its popularization and a direct indication of action.
First of all, it seems appropriate to remember that the artist once received the freedom to express his opinion, but here a person, just like an artist, is surrounded by such leaflets, banners on the streets, news on TV, and what do we come to?
We come to something hidden, to something that cannot be considered in an obvious way. In the first case, under Stalin, Hitler attacked the Soviet Union, while the Russians defended themselves. Now Putin has attacked Ukraine, and the Russians continue the war on the independent territory of a sovereign country. With this addition, it turns out that the two examples of propaganda posters given carry completely different connotations. In the first case, this is, as it were, a positive motivation for preserving their country, and in the second case, it is the conscription of the Russian population for military service and the message that being a soldier during the war is pride (this is indicated by the facial expressions of the man on the poster). It turns out that in the second case, we consider pride and a good deed, but in fact, there was an illegal invasion of the territory of another state and civilians were killed.
In order to understand what propaganda is and look at the whole situation, it is necessary to have critical thinking skills. People acquire such skills during education in schools, institutes or through the practice of art. But I know cases when artists support the actions of Putin. This means that being an artist does not mean being able to think critically.
III Our time's Signs of a fascist society. Contemporary
Contemporary - existing or happening now, and therefore seeming modern Cambridge Dictionary Online. At: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/contemporary (Accessed 28.03.2023)
What is it like to be a contemporary artist?
1. When a modern artist starts to work, he will definitely try different materials. Watercolour, pastel, oil, pencils, plaster, clay, wood, glass, bronze, plexiglass, plastic, computer technology, NFT, dance, performance, etc.
While conducting research on my materials (see link here https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/project-2-body-of-work-aesthetic-choice ), I found that I choose not intended for making art materials (newspapers, used wooden boards, cardboard) because the rejection of the system that brought me up.
Rack, 2023, recycled wood, fur; acrylic paint, screws, plaster, 73 x 53 x 39 cm.
At school, institute, at the courses where I studied in Moscow, there was an incredible cult of traditions. I was not allowed to do something abstract or try to cut the canvas and paint on it. I had to follow the rules and regulations of academic painting. Even though there was a department of contemporary painting, it was ridiculed behind the scenes and was considered unpopular. Therefore, getting into such an atmosphere as a student, whether you like it or not, you begin to popularize and praise the traditions of oil painting, classical drawing and composition.
2. Therefore, after moving from Moscow to Sao Paulo in 2016, for a long time I was rejecting the possibility of studying in the modern art system because there was no traditional system. I experienced, as I see it now, breaking stereotypes.
3. The search for my creative path was marked by one important event when I discovered synaesthesia in myself. And this became possible only because of the reflection I've done on my work. Action for the sake of action did not help me advance mentally and qualitatively in what I was doing. But by critically thinking about my work, and analyzing it, I began to create more fruitful outcomes. For example, in the work "On the streets" I study and analyze step by step each decision made, forming the final result. A detailed study can be found here:https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/project-2-body-of-work-aesthetic-choice
On the streets, 2023, recycled wood, cardboard, newspapers; acrylic paint, screws, glue, 37 x 48 x 21 cm.
4. I began to define what interested me and delve into this process. It turns out that the whole was fragmented and became multifaceted, and each of these facets could be studied and critically analyzed. So when the viewers' denial of my "unpleasant stuff" didn't make me think I was betraying their expectations - I was prepared. I doubted the correctness of academic paintings, so I decided for myself that art is not meant to be beautiful or to please. Art is designed to inflame interest and raise questions in front of the viewer. And if I do not agree with working with conventional materials, this does not mean that I am betraying the traditions of art.
5. Not only denial made me work with recyclable objects or building materials, but also the desire to be different. For a long time, it seemed to me that the artist is an oil painting on canvas. I had a fear to try different materials. Or maybe I did just not know how to approach them. Or was convenient to do what I already know?
6. For a contemporary artist to understand his/her place in art, he/she needs to attend as many diverse art events as possible. Now looking back, I can note that although I visited exhibitions quite regularly, it was always classical art, that is, what was "shown" in my city.
In Moscow, the middle class, to which my family attributed us, visited museums, theatres, and operas on average once a month. Thus, I was instilled with a love for art, but only in a conservative one. In other words, I did not have the opportunity to travel abroad, so I perceived the exhibitions that existed at that time. In 1999, the first Museum of Modern Art was opened in Moscow (Moscow MoMa Online. At: https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Museum_of_Modern_Art (Accessed 29.03.2023)) I am 15 years old at that time.
In New York, the first Museum of Modern Art opened in 1929, in Germany since 1919 the progressive Bauhaus group with a school of design and architecture has operated, the Tate Modern Gallery in London dedicated to contemporary art has been open since 2000, but since 1897 the gallery has been collecting actual art. (TATE. At: https://www.tate.org.uk/about-us/history-tate (Accessed 29.03.2023))
I do not set myself the task here to understand the dates and modernist trends in art. I understand that there were progressive thoughts and movements in Russia as well. But I want to draw attention to the fact that Russia simply did not pay enough attention, and this, probably, was not interested in the development and maintenance of modern and contemporary art till late 2000. In conclusion, the middle class, who went to museums, but had no money and the opportunity to travel abroad, existed in a closed culture where till 2000 the expressionists (1910-1930) were considered modern.
7. If an inexperienced artist has difficulty understanding art of others, you need to be patient and find an approach to reading such an art object. Because without studying the situation around you (so to say from the outside of the box) will not be an opportunity to compare your piece of art to the historical moments in which we live now.
For example, when "cooking of oneself in itself" this gave rise to a sharp denial when a new object of art suddenly appeared. It is easy to understand traditional oil paintings, landscapes, and classical portraits, and one can not apply similar tools to understand the splashes of paint on canvas. Or a traditional sculpture and how it can be compared with painted sticks wrapped in paper. Therefore, the division into friends and foes begins naturally. They (who do provide not understandable art) do something incomprehensible, not normal - therefore it's wrong, in contrast, we do the right, good, and understandable. Therefore, national traditions begin to rise and dominate even more. The seepage into Russian culture of the European world and for example contemporary art, is perceived as negative and ridiculed (not by everyone but by many). The reaction to such an environment of culture from the outside becomes an obsession with conspiracies and nationalism.
8. Therefore, when examples from Western culture are analyzed, on the one hand, incredible masterpieces created during the renaissance in Europe are indicated, and on the other hand, the degenerate art of modernity is shown. It turns out as if the enemy is very strong and educated so one could learn from him, but at the same time, he is very weak because he makes such a low and bad art.
9. Continuing the search for what might interest me as an artist, I repeatedly returned to the situation of melancholy and suffering in Russian culture. The world seemed to me an eternal place of hard work and constant survival. After moving to Germany in 2019, I was surprised how at noon the Germans go outside and drink coffee and enjoy the sun, and do not work. Over time, I realized that "life for struggle" somehow came from my past, because in Europe there is a cult of joy and enjoyment of life. This mind approach is reflected in my works even now I often show drama, anguish, decay, and oppression. For example my recent work:
At home, 2023, recycled wood, metal, concrete, burlap, copper-coated paper, cardboard, newspapers; acrylic paint, sand, screws, nails, 63 x 72 x 66 cm.
All my art since the beginning of the war has been riddled with pain and disaster, but before 2022 there were many dramatic themes.
All the experience described above is my understanding of what is it like to be a contemporary artist. Through the recognition of my history, culture and beliefs, I discussed what it means to be modern and how it correlates with acquired prejudice. This is a study of my essence, my individual characteristics and passions, and my cultural and national definition. This is my identity manifested through materials and colour.
Above all, these are also nine points from the essay of Umberto Eco "How to spot a fascist". In 1995, the Italian writer published "Ur-Fascism" a work that identified fourteen signs of fascism. «But all you need is one of them to be present, and a Fascist nebula will begin to coagulate» (Eco, 2020 p. 16) :
1. The cult of tradition,
2. The rejection of modernism,
3. The cult of action for action's sake, without the critical attitude,
4. Disagreement is betrayal,
5. Fear of difference,
6. Appeal to a frustrated middle class,
7. Obsession with a conspiracy and xenophobia,
8. Fascist societies rhetorically cast their enemies as "at the same time too strong and too weak".
9. Pacifism is trafficking with the enemy because "life is permanent warfare"
10. Contempt for the weak, popular elitism,
11. Everybody is educated to become a hero, which leads to the embrace of a cult of death.
12. Machismo - rejection of non-standard sexual behaviour.
13. Selective populism – individuals have no rights, and the “people” is conceived of as a monolithic entity
14. Newspeak - the use of garbled words. For example, in modern Russia, a new word Geyropa has appeared.
Nine of these points I found in my behaviour. I worked through some of them without understanding what I was doing and why. It seems to me that the desire to change caused a new environment outside of my homeland.
IV Conclusions
All things considered, the presence and spread of contemporary art clearly reflect the state of society.
The ability to express one's point of view, to criticize and speak openly is evidence of a healthy society.
The most compelling conclusion from all of the above is that these are personal examples from my practice. It turns out that I worked out each of the points on my own, starting from the moment I left Russia. And I did all this through the study and practice of contemporary art. This also confirms that there are signs of fascism where you do not expect them, and it is right to start "cleansing" from oneself.
People located in a certain cultural space, with their history, education and the influence of political forces, can support and justify any action, even war.
As we have seen from the signs of fascism, the death cult described by Umberto Eco and arising from the premises of society will not be able to save the planet from a devastating nuclear strike.
It turns out that the existing environment in society cannot educate a critically thinking person if the entire apparatus of the state is not properly built, starting with the education system and ending with family relations.
A return to normal life values and the joy of life can only be stimulated by a general change in the entire system, from educational institutions to a change in generations of people with old mindsets which takes a long time.
Even if a modern artist is endowed with the talent and gift to create, this is not enough to protect against propaganda and make him/her a critical thinker. An independent mind is brought up by the system.
What can I do? I can be kind, and respond to aggression with intelligence, not power or the same aggression. Spread the art that teaches critical thinking. Take care of the "Ecology of Mind". (see here https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/parallel-project-through-the-relational-aesthetics-to-the-individual-ecology-of-mind)
Bibliography and references
1. 1. SEBASTIAN HAFFNER, GESCHICHTE EINES DEUTSCHEN. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, Stuttgart & München 2000. Ivan Limbach Publishing. St. Petersburg 2016 (Russian)
2. Karl Jaspers Die Schuldfrage Von der politischen Haftung Deutschlands. Piper München, Zürich 1965. Moscow Progress Publishing Group (1999) Translated from German by S. Apt
3. Viktor Frankl. 1946 Man in search of meaning. Москва «Прогресс» 1990
4. Albert Schweitzer. CULTURE AND ETHICS Translated by N.A. Zakharchenko and G.V. Kolshansky General edition and foreword by prof. V.A. Karpushina. Moscow: "Progress", 1973 Albert Schweitzer. Culture and Ethik. Munich, 1960 Russian [online] At: https://psylib.org.ua/books/shvei01/index.htm (Accessed 2022)
5. Avant-Garde and Kitsch. Art and Culture. CRITICAL ESSAYS Clement Greenberg BEACON PRESS BOSTON First published by Beacon Press in 1961
6. Modernist Painting. Clement Greenberg: The Collected Essays and Criticism vol. 4, ed. John OʼBrian, 1993. From: http://www.sharecom.ca/greenberg/modernism.html (Last access 21 July 07)
7. War and art, a visual history of modern conflict 2017 edited by Joanna Bourke. Reaktion books, London
8. How Art Can Heal BY GIRIJA KAIMAL Nonverbal therapy helps people work through trauma and build resilience. [online] At: https://www.americanscientist.org/article/how-art-can-heal (Accessed 27.10.2022)
9. The Art World. March 21, 2022 Issue Art in a Time of War By Peter Schjeldahl [online] At: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/03/21/art-in-a-time-of-war (Accessed 28.10.2022)
10. ANDREY TARKOVSKY. TIME RECORDED Texts. 12/17/19 Andrei Tarkovsky Rus. [online] At: https://kinoart.ru/texts/andrey-tarkovskiy-zapechatlennoe-vremya (Accessed 28.10.2022)
11. Umberto Eco, 2020 How to Spot a Fascist. Harvill Secker
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