Art And Communism Research Paper

G utie rre z1KiannaGutierrezCollegeFreshmanComposition5December ,2023CommunismandArtInthecomplextapestryofthehistoryofhumans,therehasbeenadynamicrelationshipbetweenartandcommunismthatisoftencontentious.Communismisasocio-politicalideology ,ithasattemptedtochangethestructureofsociety ,thathaschallengedthenormsandhierarchiescurrentlyinplace.Theevolutionofcommunismisalong,complicatedstory ,thatdatesbackto1917inRussia-whichisalsoknownastheOctoberRevolution-followingthisrevolution,theAmericanCommunistPartywasfoundedin1919.Asaresultofthesetworevolutionswasamasscreationofart;somewereusedtogoagainsttheideologyofcommunismwhileotherssupportedtheideaofit,ithasbecomeapoliticalweaponthatisaimedtodestroydif ferentideologies.Communismhasdeeplyinfluencedtheintersectionofartandprotest.Incommunistsocietiesartoftensenesasapivotaltooltoconveycollectivenarrativesandtochallengethenormsthathavebeensetinstorebysocietyforcenturies,toactasaformofrevolution.Theemphasisofequalityandsolidarityinacommunistsocietyhaveinfluencedartisttocreateworkinordertoprotestagainstthisideologyandadvocateforsocialjustice.ApiececuratedbyKoreanartistByonY eongwontitled,PanyongyohanwhichtranslatestoAnti-CommunistFemaleSouls(1952).W omeninsocietyhavebeentreatedinequallyforaslongashistorydatesback.W omeninacommunistsocietysuf fermorethanwomeninothercountries/societiesdo.ThewholeideaofCommunism(assaidbyKarlMarxandFredrichEngles),isanideologythatdoesnotseegenderasanorder;menandwomenareseenasneutralobjects.MasculineG utie rre z2dominancewasseenasbad,especiallyduringavariantofeconomicvariation,men smasculinitywassuspectedtodisappearduetoanewrevolution.Thisaf firmedwomenatthetimesuf frage,yettheycouldnotrunforapoliticalpostiton-oftheCommunistParty-whichsetsbackthegoalsofCommunismandratherencouragedmentobemasculineanddominantinaway .Y eongwon splecegoesagainstagainstthispatriarchalideology .Theoilpaintingitselfshowswomenholdinguowhatisportrayedasamissilelauncher ,whichgoesagainstthestigmathatonlymencouldrunforsuchpoliticalpositions.Y eongwonisamanhimself,sofarhimtocreatesuchacomplex,yetpowerfulpiecethatgoesagainstamale-encouragingideologysaysthatevenmenduringthistimeunderstoodwhyCommunismwouldfail.T obeabletoacceptthemisogynisticwaysornormsthatcommunismisattemptingtocreateistobestrong.PeoplelikeY eongwonareabletorecognizecircumstancesinwhichsocietywouldfailandareabletoacreageartfromthisinordertogoagainstthesesocialinjusticesthatareattemptedtobeconstructedbymenlikeKarlMarxandFriedrichEngles.Inaworldfullofpeoplewishingforanunequalsociety ,artcanbemadetoprotestagainstthis;inthecaseofCommunism,Y eongwonwasabletocreateapiecetofightagainstthisnegativestigma.Chineseartworktendstoportraygardens,people,andanimals,inthismixthoughcomesartworkcreatedeithertogoagainstoragreewithCommunism.Apiececreatedintheearly1950s(byanunknownartist)showsthepeopleofChina-morespecificallywomen-dancingandparadingdownastreetwhilethereisportraitsofthe(former)PresidentofChinaisheldup.ThisonepieceitselffocusesonthenegativepowerthattheChineseCommunistgovernmenthasontheirpeoplesimilartosomeothercountriesliketheUnitedStatesofAmericathatpraisesomepresidentialcandidatesinsuchajurassicwaythatishasledtocrimes(arson,destroymentofproperty ,etc)andresultsinAmericansdoingunconsitiutionalthings-thepaintingindicatesthatG utie rre z3theCommunistleaders,MaoandSunZhongshan,whowereactuallythefirstleadersoftheRepublicofChina,transformedtheircountryfromasemicolonytoacountrywithleadingworldpower.ThispaintingwasmadepriortotheadvancementofChina(whichmeanswomenhadlittletonorights),thusmeaningthewomendancingwithasmileontheirfaceweremostlikelyhappytohavefreedomofexpressionortoknowthattheirnowleadersweregoingtomakelifesbetterforthemintheirhomecountry;whetherthisbethroughcommunismornot.WhileChina scommunistpartyhaswelcomeseconomicgrowthandtechnologicaladvancements,ithascomewithmanynegativeef fectsbyit sside.AprominentconcernofthepeopleofChinaisthepoliticaldissentandthecurtailmentoffreedom.TheCommunistChinesegovernmenthasatightgripontheirpeoplewhichhasdledtoextremecensorship,limitedfreedomofexpression,andthepersecutionofactivives-allofwhichhaveraisedconcertsforthebasichumanrightsofthepeopleofChina.TheacuteimprovementofeconomicsinChinahadledincomeinequalityandenvironmentaldegradition.Theemphasisonmaintainingaperfectsocialstabilityhasoftenledtoalackofpluralism(inpolitics)andstiflesdiverseperspectives.ThenegativeconsequencesoftheCommunistideologyinChinaunderseesthecomplexchallengesassociatedwithbalancingeconomicprogresswithindividuallibertiesandrights.NotallpiecesofartcreatedinassociationwithCommunismareofanegativenature,though,sometendtobeinfavorofthecontroversialideology .Theartemer gesfromit sempasisofcollectiveidealsandsocialharmony .Incommunistsocieties,artoftenbecomesapowerfulmediumtodepictthestruggles,aspirations,andunityofthepeople.Commonthemessuchassolidarity ,equality ,andthecelebrationofthecommonworkerfrequentlydominateartisticexpressions.Communism sfocusoneradictingclassdistinctionscanleadartbeingmoreaccessibleandreflectiveofdiversevoices,asthebarriersbetweentheartistandaudienceG utie rre z4diminish.ThecommunistspiritfosteredbyCommunismprovidesaplatformforarttoserveasaunifyingforce,encouragingcollaborationandcollectivecreativity .Inthiscontext,positivecommunismartcaninspireasenseofcollectiveidentityandcontributetoshapingasharedvisionformoreequitablesociety .Communism-intheory-envisionsasocietymarkedbyeconomicequality .Collectiveownershipofresourceandtheabsenceofsocialclasses.Proponentsar guethatthefostersasenseofcommunity ,unity ,andasharedresponsibility .Intherealmofart,communismhasbeenseenasaforcethatcaninspirecreativityandbyemphasizingcollectivegood.Artistsunderthecommunistideologiesoftenfoundthepurposeincontributingtoavisionofsocietywhereeveryonebenefitsequally .Thisemphasisoncollectivewell-being,ratherthanindividualgaincaninfluenceartisticthemesencouragingunification,socialjustice,andsharedhumanity .Theideaisthatart,inacommunistcontext,canserveasamediumforpromotingvalvessuchas:cooperationandempathy ,reflectingtheutopianidealsofasocietywhereeveryone sneedsaremet.However ,itisimportanttonotethatthepracticalimplementationofcommunismhasfacedchallenges,andthecorrelationbetweencommunismandpositiveartisticcriticismremainstobeatopicofdebate.Artandcommunismshareacomplexandmulti-facetedrelationshipthathas(andwillcontinueto)evolveoverthecourseofhistory .Inthecontextofthe20thcentury ,particularlyduringtheriseofCommunismintheSovietUnion(October21st,1917)andtheothersocialistandcapitaliststates,artbecomesapowerfultoolforpromotingideologicalagenda.TheBelsheuikRevolutionof1917markedaturningpointinCommunisthistory ,asartistssoughttoaligntheircreativeendeavorswiththeaspirationsoftheproletariat.Socialistrealismemer gedastheof ficiallyendorsedartisticstyle,emphasizingtheportrayaloftheworkingclass,collectiveendeavors,andtheglorificationofsocialistsachievements.ArtistswereexpectedtocontributetoG utie rre z5theconstructionofanew ,classlesssocietybycreatingworksthatcelebratedthevaluesofCommunismthisresultedinashiftfromavant-gardeandexperimentalartformstomoreaccessibleanddidacticstylesthatcouldbemoreeasilyunderstoodbyabroadaudience.Propagandaplayedasignificantroleinartistproducingmurals,posters,andsculpturesthataredepicted;thevirtuesofCommunismandtheheroismofthecommonworker .Despitetheconstraintsimposedbystatecontrol,someartistmanagedtosubtlycritiquethesystemorincorporateelementsofdissentwithintheirwork.Inspiteofthat,though,theinterwiningofartandcommunismalsoraisedquestionsabouttheartisticfreedomandtheinstrumentalizationofcreativityforpoliticalpurposes.Thelegacyofthiseracontinuestoinfluencediscussionsabouttheroleofartinsocietyandthepotentialtensionbetweenartisticexpressionandideologicalconformity .AnotableartworkassociatedwithCommunismisthemural,W orkerandTheKolkhozW omanV eraMukhina,1937,fortheSovietPavillianattheInternationalExpositioninParis.Thismonumentalpiecedepictsamaleworkerandafemalecollectivefarmworker ,armsraisedinapowerfulgestureofsolidarity .ThefiguresaredynamicallyinterwinedsymbolizingtheunitoftheindustrialandagriculturalsectorsundertheSovietreigme.Mukhina ssculptureembodiestheidealsofcommunism,emphasizingthecollaborationbetweendif ferntsegmentsofsocietyinthepursuitofacommongoal.Themuscular ,idealizedfigureexodesasenseofstrengthandoptimism,potrayingtheSovietUnionasasocietyprogressingtowardsaharmaniousfuture.Theemphasisonthecollectivespirit,embodiedbythejointef fortoftheworkerandtheKolkhozwoman,alignswiththeprincipalesofsocialismandreinforcesthenarrativeofaclasslesssociety ,whiletheartworkvisuallypromotesthepositiveaspectsofcommunism,italsoraisesquestionsabouttheroleofstatesponseredartinshapingpublicperceptionandthepotentialforideologicalmanipulaationwithintherealmofartisticexpression.G utie rre z6Artundercommunismoftenservesasavisualmanifestationofideologicalpriniciples,nowdeceasedChineseartist,JinZhilin spiecetitledThePeopleUndertheBannerofChairmanMao(1971)isacompellingexample.HisartworkcapturesthebasisoftheCommunistideology ,emphasizingcollectiveidentityandunity .TheimageryrevovlesaroundChairmanMao,oneofthemostinfluentialmembersoftheChineseCommunistParty ,whosepresencedominatesthecanvas.Thepeopledepictedbeneaththebannersymbolizeaconsonancecollective,reinforcingthenotionofasocietyworkingtowardsaspecificgoal.Thecompositionstrategicallyemployscolorwithalar geemphasisonred,symbolizingrevolutionandsocialistparagon.Zhilin smeticulousattentiontodetailinpotrayingtheindividualsbeneaththebannerreflectsasenseofdiversitywithinunity ,showcasingtheimportanceofacollectiveidentityunderCommunism.Thepiecepromptsviewerstoconsidertherileofartinshapingandreinforcingpoliticalideologies,aswellasthedelicatebalancebetweenindividualexpressiionandconformitywithinacommunistframework.Zhilin siconicandmovingpiecestandsasatestamenttothepowerofvisualrepresentationinconveyingcomplexsociopoliticalnarratives,of feringinsightsintotheinterplaybetweenartandcommunism.AnotherartworkthatwasmadeinorderthecreatemovementinregardstoCommunismisIsaakBrodsky s,LeninattheT ribune(1924).ThispiecedepictsVladimirLenindeliveringaspeech,acommonmotifinSovietartthataimedtocelebratetheideologicalfoundationofthestate.Brosky spotrayalofLeninisutterlyamazing,emphasizingLenin sstrongpresenceanddetermination.Theuseofboldandsombercolorscontributestotheseriousnessofthesubjectmatter ,reinforcingthegravityofthepoliticalmessage.Thecomposition,withLeninpositionedprominentlyatthetrubune,symbolizesthepivotalroleoftheleaderinshapingthedestinyofthenation.BrodskyemploysarealisticstylecharateristicofSovietartthatwasproducedduringthattime,capturingG utie rre z7therecognizablefeaturesofLeninwhileinfusingasenseofheroismandreverence.Brodsky spieceisamorecompellingpieceduetoit snatureofencouragingandsupportingCommunismwhichcontrasttypicalpiecesthatgoagainsttheideology .Therelationshipbetweenartandcommunismisanuancedinterplayofideals,politics,andsocietalaspirations.Onthepositiveside,communismhasinspiriedartworksthatcelebratecollectiveidentity ,socialjustice,andthepursuitofaclassless,utopiansociety .PieceslikeV eraMukhina s,W orkerandtheKolkhozW omanexemplifytheattempttovisuallyconveytheoptismismandstrengthassociatedwiththecommunstideologiesandgoals.Howeverthepositivevisioniscontrastedbythenegatives,includingthepotentialforstatecontroltostifleartisticfreedoms,asseenintheprescribedstyleofthesocialistrealismduringtheSovietera.Theuseofartforpropagandapurposesraisesethicalconcernsabouttheauthenticityofthecreativeexpressionwithinapoliticallychar gedenvironment.Ultimately ,thecomplexrelationshipbetweenartandcommunismhighlightsthetensionbetweenrealisticaspirationsandthepracticalchallengesofimplementingandmaintainingasystemthaseekstoeradicatesocialinequalities.W orksCitedG utie rre z8Guzeva,Alexandra.10mosticonicSovietpaintings.RussiaBeyond,3May2021,https://www .rbth.com/arts/333742-iconic-soviet-paintings.Accessed8December2023.Hardy ,Edmund.TheLanguageofLenin.T ribune,26December2021,https://tribunemag.co.uk/2021/12/lenin-russia-language-poetry-history .Accessed8December2023.W orkerandKolkhozW 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