What Is The Exhibit About
WEXNER ART CENTER Columbus OH 8/21/2015-8/28/2015
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The theme of this exhibit is the changing of political commentary throughout the ages. Political commentary in Spanish is very prevalent and can be seen in a variety of different artworks in all ages. A possible explanation for this is the prevalence of war in Spanish culture. Is offered up by Yara Zgheib in his article in European Magazine On Art and War. Saying "Art cannot be separated from politics, any more than it can be separated from the nature it represents. Ai Weiwei, a Chinese artist and vocal critic of his government’s democracy and human rights record, said: “If somebody questions reality, truth, facts; [it] always becomes a political act.” The quote by Chinese artist means that not only does surrealist aspects of art like Salvador Dali's, Picasso's and, Goya's question politics by its images but also by questioning reality itself. Since the warping of reality is a fundamental aspect of these paintings. However this does not explain why these artist make have even decide to take up painting in general. A plausible explanation for this is offered by Peter Monteath in his book
The Spanish Civil War in Literature, Film, and Art. In his book he writes how there was a great increase in cultural activity surrounding the Spanish Civil War, as both professional artist and nonprofessional artist felt compelled to commit their experience of the Spanish Civil War. In essence maybe political influences people so strongly they feel compelled to to commit their experiences with political to a canvas to let other experience them as well. This is definitely true of artist like Valquez and Goya who often worked with the royal government of their day and age. Robert Capa likely this way as well although he didn't directly dealt with the government he was often times on the front lines in the civil war and saw the horrors first hand. Also the change in political commentary over the years can be explain by this. The experiences of baroque artist were not the same as artist during the romantic era, or artist during the Spanish Civil War. Another way of looking at the change in commentary of the years is best explained by Eugenio Merino. When discussing his work Always Franco in the Telegraph “It represents the idea that in Spain people are keeping the image of Franco alive. We don't stop talking about him, debating about him. A fridge is where things are kept alive and fresh". This quote provides another way to look at the art in the exhibit. Perhaps the reason for political commentary in art is the artist are painting things they want to see "die". Perhaps Goya's painting of sleep of reason is his wish to see the sleep of reason end. Or Dali's premonition of civil war is his wish to see the seemingly endless conflict in Spain end. Or Valequez's lances is his wish for the war of conquests Spain is fighting finally come to an end. This exhibit is circulating due to rising social issues in Spain such as the recent publication of the Biography of Franco in 2012, the 2014 poll which revealed the majority of Catalan wishes to succeed, and rising unemployment. Since it seems likely that more political artwork will emerge in Spain in response to these social issues. It seems important to look back and see how the change in politics over the years is reflected in Spain art. Furthermore Political Commentary is becoming more and more prevalent throughout the world. Round table discussion of politics have moved from just Sunday morning Broadcast like Crossfire, to prime time everyday broadcast like Fox News' the five, and even into late night broad cast like the Daily Show with John Stewart. The title of this exhibit is He who fights with monsters and is taken from a quote by Friedrich Nietzsche. "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster". In essence the politics of certain regimes as be seen in many as monstrous such as King Ferdinand VII or Franco. Politics even inherently monstrous are often time seem as an animal or a beast. So these artist by making political commentary are figuratively fighting with monsters. But what happens when the commentary on these politics causes people to become monstrous. For instance what happens if after viewing Goya's Sleep Of Reason the people decide that the church is putting reason to sleep and producing monsters, then decide to kill all religious leaders to "wake reason up"? Does Goya not in essence become the very monster he was speaking out against? |