| In art, Americans know
what they don't like
" V
i s u a l S
h o c k :
A History of Art Controversies
in American Culture"
By Michael Kammen
on WSKG Radio's OFF THE PAGE
L I V E Tuesday, January 9 at 1pm
(Repeating at 7pm)
The
political and the provocative have had a place in the arts
for as long as people have drawn, painted, sculpted, written,
sung and acted. The quality of expression may not necessarily
be tied to the aesthetic value and the "message" may
even be overlooked or lost on many observers. The truism that
you get from an experience what you bring to it is certainly
true in a museum, gallery, theater or on the street. And throughout
American history our people have often reacted with puzzlement
or even outrage about works of art.
The new book "Visual
Shock" by Michael
Kammen covers two hundred
years of art controversy and cultural conflict. Dr. Kammen is Newton C. Farr
Professor of American History and Culture at Cornell University and a past
president of the Organization of American Historians. He is author or editor
of more than twenty books and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1973 for "People
of Paradox: An Inquiry Concerning the Origins of American Civilization".
He is considered one of today's preeminent cultural historians.
The
visual shocks that have disturbed Americans range from Horatio
Greenough's 1841 statue of George
Washington in a Roman toga to Andres Serrano's 1989
crucifix suspended in a glass of urine. The Washington
Monument, like the
Greenough
sculpture, was seen as inconsistent with the notion of an egalitarian society.
Works with strong erotic or critical religious content may be interpreted
as offensive to the nation's ethical standards. There is also the enduring
question
of public expenditure in support of the fine arts, especially work that
may disturb.
A distinctly
American culture did not have an easy birth. Throughout the
19th century the cultural and intellectual life
of the nation was dominated
by European
styles and standards. Many may have agreed with John Adams who said in
1780 that it was his duty to study the science of government so that
his sons
could study mathematics and natural sciences and grant their progeny "a
right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry
and porcelain." The
American art world - and those members of the public paying attention
- was jolted into the modern arts scene by the 1913 exhibition in New
York known
as the Armory
Show. The rise of abstract art drew the ire of critics
who decried "modernism".
Dr. Kammen admits that modernism is difficult to define but he states
Quite
often, when those who opposed or disliked modernism felt compelled
to explain why, they equated modernism with disorder,
a source of uncertainty
and hence bewilderment. They believed that art not only should
provide "beauty" (endlessly
invoked) but also could promote a harmonious sense of society
and nature. Any form of artistic expression that signified
or
suggested disorder
was certain
to be frowned upon by traditionalists.
-- from Visual Shock
Over
the years there has been much that could have signified disorder,
either in the work itself, the manner in which it
was commissioned or both. During the 1930s Roosevelt's New
Deal created a number of ambitious arts projects to both enhance
the cultural life of the nation and provide work for artists.
One of the most contentious art forms turned out to be the
mural. Paintings on the walls of post offices and other public
buildings are conspicuous by both size and public display.
Many also were clearly incorrect depictions of local communities.
The
question "but is it art?" has been directed at
many more works and performance events in recent years. Kammen's "Visual
Shock" reviews
the work of such controversial artists as Judy
Chicago, Robert Rauschenberg
("If a painting doesn't upset you, it probably wasn't a good painting
to begin with") and Andy Warhol.
One
of the great changes that has taken place in American life
- and, in a display of US influence today, also
in Europe - is in the role and function
of the museum. Once an institution where a small segment of society would
come
to view works of established artists, museums have become multi-functional
cultural resources that attract greater crowds than ever with both provocative
exhibits, entertainment and displays in their gift shops. Meanwhile, in
1965 the National Endowment for
the Arts was founded to support
the visual and
performing arts in this country. It has occasionally been the object of
political and
professional criticism, even when the NEA had little or no connection to
the work under scrutiny.
Michael
Kammen joins WSKG's Bill
Jaker to tell
about culture clashes throughout American history and the
lessons we learned about ourselves. To join in
the discussion call during the live 1:00 PM broadcast to 888/359-9754
or send
an e-mail to WSKG.Radio@Gmail.com. |
Off the Page
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