Ashley G., Post 5

Ashley Green

Abstract expressionism is likely the most noted artistic movement to be born of the United States during the 1940s and 1950s in New York. The movement highlighted a significant change in American art, and it was the first movement from the United States that influenced other countries, rather than visa versa. Emphasizing broad brushstrokes and strong, dramatic colors, the movement placed a large focus on the emotions being poured into the painting rather than the actual product itself. (WorldWide Art Resources) Because artists within the movement resisted a strong definition of the movement, the assignment of meaning in the artwork resided almost solely on the viewer, creating a broad spectrum of interpretation for the works. Though a broad spectrum for interpretation is available however, there were generally two distinct views for how abstract expressionist art was viewed- it was either heralded as the freest and most democratic of art forms or as the most destructive and manipulative of forms. The central idea behind the latter interpretation is that, “the objection to Modern art [by more conservative parties resides in] the assumption that rejection of traditional ways of seeing form and space inherent in vanguard style of painting implied rejection of traditional world views.” (Mathews 156)

Mathews re-introduced a relevant point that has weaved itself into past discussions; she stated that it was likely that most Americans did not like or understand Modernist art. Though she also stated the most Americans generally had a “take it or leave it” opinion of art, it does stand to reason that censorship of art is easier to accomplish with a public that is either complacent or hostile towards an artistic movement. The idea of fear of the unknown and untraditional appears to have fueled so much of the animosity towards Abstract Expressionist art. In today’s society, we still do have a very powerful fear of the unknown, and use that fear to try to justify current acts of censorship. One must wonder, if we know and can recognize this fallacy, why can we not seem to break this destructive pattern?

A painful correlation is apparent between the treatment of Modern Art in America, in Communist Russia, and in Nazi Germany. To note a previous essayist we discussed in class, George L. Mosse stated that, “Even today, art is condemned if it transgresses the normative morality in too shocking a fashion.” In short, art that is different from what is considered the norm, or traditional, is often the most susceptible to an unfair critique. (Mosse 25) It is somewhat disturbing that the American public supported the ideas on art of George Dondero and Joseph McCarthy so soon after the rule of Hitler, a tyrant who tried to squelch artistic expression using a similar philosophy- out with the new, stick with the old. Furthermore, playing on people’s sense of nationalism was one of the most effective tools in fascist regimes. Yet that is what how many Congressmen justified their crusade against abstract expressionism. They stated that abstract expressionists were a communist tool and that by participating in the movement you were un-American. Using the idea of being un-American or un-patriotic as a justification for censorship is, however, a blatant contradiction.

The discussion of whether or not Romare Bearden was an abstract expressionist is a lengthy and complex one. Bearden experimented in various forms of Modern art, but it is my opinion that his greatest contribution was to the Expressionist movement as a whole. Romare Bearden was an African-American artist who first came to prominence during the tail-end of the Harlem Renaissance. During the 1940s and 1950s, African-American artist faced dual trials in trying to get their work seen. Not only was their work seldom acknowledged or recognized, but it was also often called socialistic because of its supposed social commentary. The painting above, entitled the Prodigal Son, is one of Bearden’s most noted works. I believe anti-Expressionist would take fault in the work for several of reasons. First, despite the fact that it uses a collage technique, the work as a whole does not appear to call on any traditional form. Another problem with the work is that the art forces each viewer to observe and assign meaning based on their own perception of the work. There is no clear definition to what the work may be conveying. Finally, Bearden’s work, in part simply because he was Black, could be considered destructive because it could force the viewer to analyze the roles of Blacks in society. Mathews discusses how there was a general fear that the work of abstract expressionist extended to the broader realms of cultural and social order, threatening ultimately all established norms and values. (Mathews 156) Bearden’s work likely would have been considered a threat to the established norms and values of the time.

Norman Lewis is another influential artist in the Modern art movement, but he also has the clear distinction of being an abstract expressionist. Born and raised in New York City, Lewis also came into prominence during the Harlem Renaissance. In the 1930s, Lewis began to produce abstract works and later joined the Spiral Group, an organization geared to using art as a tool for the Civil Rights movement. The painting above is one of his more famous pieces, called Phantasy. The conflicts anti-Expressionist might have to Lewis’ work are similar to the conflicts held with Bearden’s work. Lewis however held an even greater distinction within the abstract expressionist movement, and therefore was an even greater target for critique. His vivid use of color and seemingly random shapes evoke numerous emotions from a viewer, but what was most striking to me was the pain the work seems to emit. The use of dark colors is what really gives that impression. The ability to evoke such varying emotions in the viewer seemed to be a problem for anti-Expressionist. Though the same stringent route that Hitler took in opposition of Modern art was not taken against Abstract Expressionism, the general idea that it was evil or un-patriotic because of its break from realism was still very much present.

Likely one of the lesser known members of the Expressionist movement was Thelma Johnson Streat. As an African-American female within the movement, her work seems very susceptible to falling into the cracks, which is likely why few critiques against her work were made at the time- no one noticed or cared enough to. Her most famous work, Rabbit Man (above), however is featured in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Though lacking some of the basic definers of Abstract Expressionism, the work still leaves a large window to interpret it in many various ways. It is also representative of the movement in Modern art by Black artists to connect on a level with their heritage or “roots.” It is difficult to say how anti-Expressionist would respond to this work. On the one hand, it forces the viewer to take on a personal perception of the work, and relies heavily on emotion. It also does not fall under the vein of “traditional” European/American artwork. The work however, could have been considered positive to some anti-Expressionists at the time because it conformed to a certain ideal of what “Black” art should look like- primitive. Eva Cockcroft stated that the view of art in a certain time deals largely in who is its main viewers and how does it support the ideology of the people in power. The above work would seem to support the ideology of most people of power during the time because of its primitive nature.

In my opinion, African-Americans are not the only under-appreciated members of the Expressionist movement. Artist like Grace Hartigan and Joan Mitchell are often overlooked for their contribution to the movement of Abstract Expressionism. Joan Mitchell and Grace Hartigan were both born in the 1920s and held the distinction of being the generation that succeeded the fore-runners of Abstract Expressionism, Jackson Pollack and Mark Rothko. Both women were also one of a few women who achieved both critical and public success for their work. Both of the works above, Joan Mitchell’s No. 5 and Grace Hartigan’s Incliment Weather, respectively, both embody the spirit and general aesthetic of the movement, and thus would face many of the critique’s by anti-expressionist that I have previously stated. Their works often evoke strong emotions within the viewer and can easily foster the debate over whether or not Abstract Expressionism promotes the truest, freest, and most democratic form of art, or if it is decadent, destructive and manipulative. Today, we generally view abstract art in a positive light and often side with the former view of Abstract Expressionism rather than the latter. Mathews reasons that this is so because in the end, the anti-expressionist crusade was “outmaneuvered by more sophisticated individuals eager to capitalize on the fact that avant-garde art and culture only exist in a society that is liberal-democratic (politically) and bourgeois-capitalist (socio-economically).” (Mathews 167)

Eva Cockcroft stated that a lot to do with the success of an artistic movement resides in the patronage of the movement and the ideological needs of the powerful. (Cockcroft 147) Would the Abstract Expressionist movement have become such a powerful force in the art community if it were not for the George A. Dondero’s and Joseph McCarthy’s of the world? It was their passionate outcries against the movement that even introduced the art to much of America. Without them fighting so fervently against abstract expressionism, it is likely that the movement would have remained mostly relevant to people involved in the art world and mostly irrelevant to the masses who were not. In my opinion, though I think an attack on art is normally painful and destructive, in the end it can have a positive influence on our overall perception of art because it forces us to think and re-establish what our norms are and how we can better function as not just art viewers, but as a society.

All images were found courtesy of Google.

Additional Resources:

http://books.google.com/books?id=2598QQgoRP8C&pg=PA160&lpg=PA160&dq=%22african+american%22+artist+mccarthyism&source=web&ots=Dt2XYjqEYq&sig=MBRA_eeZs4wHK31RhXWXdkrCGSY&hl=en#PPA161,M1

http://americanart.si.edu/1001/2000/03/images/1980.137.32_1b.jpg

http://www.wellesley.edu/WomensReview/archive/2002/11/art204.jpg

http://www.moma.org/images/collection/FullSizes/00293004.jpg

http://wwar.com/masters/movements/abstract_expressionism.html

http://www.groveart.com/shared/views/article.html?from=search&session_search_id=238750267&hitnum=2&section=art.000252

http://www.groveart.com/shared/views/article.html?from=search&session_search_id=238750267&hitnum=2&section=art.000252

http://www.foundationcenter.org/grantmaker/joanmitchellfdn/about.html

http://www.marylandartsource.org/artists/detail_000000124.html

http://www.beardenfoundation.org/artlife/biography/biography.shtml

http://wwar.com/masters/l/lewis-norman.html