art of WW2-1980 era
Red Striped Kitchen, by Martha Rosler, 1967-1972
Red Stripe Kitchen is one of Martha Rosler’s earlier pieces and it belongs to a collection of her works. Made in 1967-1972, while she was living and working in New York City. She had moved to New York City in the late 1960s after completing her studies at the University of California, San Diego. In this piece, Rosler plays with the symbolic and literal aspects of the kitchen as a domestic and feminine space. It was during this period that family gathered to discuss their lives, beliefs, politics, and the events occurring. The photograph depicts a kitchen that is aesthetically neat and orderly, but the striking red stripe running through the image adds a surreal, almost unsettling touch. The bright red stripe signified many divisions within the household that occurred during the time that the Vietnam War was taking place. Many households within the U.S. had veterans who had previously fought in either the Korean conflict or World War Two. Those veterans felt that it was the duty of able-bodied young men to fight for democracy and to combat the spread of communism. Often those veterans supported the war efforts while others in the household may not have done so. The veterans and their families may have had different political or moral beliefs which caused them to have problems and arguments amongst themselves and their relationships with their family. Many times these differences led to families being torn apart. The late 1960s and early 1970s were a period of significant social upheaval, with movements advocating for civil rights, women's liberation, and anti-Vietnam War protests. There were large protests against the war in many different cities and college campuses across the nation which caused the division amongst the generations to grow larger. Many soldiers returning from the Vietnam war were greeted with hostility and coldness upon returning home contributing to family strain as they struggled to reintegrate back into society and their family home. Though Red Stripe Kitchen may not be as widely discussed as some of Rosler's later, more iconic works, it is a significant early piece in her artistic development. By presenting a seemingly normal kitchen space with a disruptive red stripe, Rosler subtly challenges the idealized representations. It can be interpreted as a complex mixture of alienation, frustration, irony, and critique, all woven into a seemingly familiar, everyday scene. While the photograph might initially appear calm and orderly—a typical domestic kitchen—the subtle intrusion of the bold red stripe disrupts that calm, creating an emotional tension that speaks to larger themes of gender, societal, and generational expectations. The domestic sphere, symbolized by the kitchen, is historically one of the most familiar places where the American family gathered. The reaction that I had was that the soldiers were looking for the comforts of home that they desperately wanted and missed while serving overseas.
Beauty Rest, by Martha Rosler, 1967-1972
Beauty Rest made by Martha Rosler between 1967–72 is one of her more well-known pieces. Beauty Rest by Martha Rosler (an American artist) is part of her Housewife series. This piece of art on the surface shows the idealized representation of femininity and domestic life which was in stark contrast to the reality of many women who lived with the horror of the Vietnam War. The image of a luxurious and glamorous woman appears to be at peace and have no worries, but this wasn’t the case for those who had spouses or boyfriends who were deployed. These women lost sleep for extended periods while their partners were in Vietnam or worse yet, never had them come home. The picture shows the family comfortably resting on their bed, which is opposite of the soldiers, and the way they were often forced to sleep/rest in the field. The conditions that the soldiers were in were dirty, wet, cold, and unrestful. Imagine being away from family and home in a foreign country while your loved ones are home safe and in a comfortable environment. The Vietnam War came at a time when the role of women was changing. The war and loss of so many men forced women even more into the workforce. With these changes, the lack of equality became even more clear. Women were starting to push for equal rights and opportunities outside the home, and there was growing recognition that the traditional "housewife" role was limiting and repressive. Rosler fights against the idealized image of the housewife who had been shown in advertising as content, beautiful, and fulfilled in her domestic role. As Rosler has written, “I wanted the viewer to have a place to stand, so the montages are often in rooms or in other landscape settings. This in is really important for me that you enter the image and see yourself standing there” (“View of Domesticity at War: Bringing The War Home in Martha Rosler’s ‘House Beautiful’ Wartime Photomontages: Catalyst: Feminism, Theory, Technoscience.” Catalyst, catalystjournal.org/index.php/catalyst/article/view/39401/31307. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.) This quote really hits me on a personal level as it reminds me of the strength that my family had during my dad's numerous deployments. I cannot imagine how hard it was for women to have their husbands deployed to a war that so many people didn’t support. Those women should have been able to see themselves in a piece of art and feel proud of their strength. In the pages of House Beautiful during the Vietnam War, no weapons or casualties would appear. (“View of Domesticity at War: Bringing The War Home in Martha Rosler’s ‘House Beautiful’ Wartime Photomontages: Catalyst: Feminism, Theory, Technoscience.” Catalyst, catalystjournal.org/index.php/catalyst/article/view/39401/31307. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.)
Cleaning the Drapes, by Martha Rosler. 1967-1972
As she pulls aside her faintly colored, brocaded drapes, soldiers in a sandbagged foxhole are revealed in a black-and-white scene. Like a theater curtain opening on a performance, the view “outside” evokes for many viewers the televisual experience of the nightly newscast, “cleaned” up enough so that it cannot overly disturb dinnertime. During the war citizens often watched the nightly news and broadcasts from the front lines in the comfort of their homes. Some watched in hopes of catching a glimpse of a loved one who was in Vietnam and others watched to assess the success of the war effort. For those who had never experienced anything of this type, the television was a window into a world unknown to them. The picture shows a soldier standing guard and staring off into the distance while the woman is cleaning the drapes and staring outside. They both seem to be longing for a different life. It seems like there may be some confusion about the title "Cleaning the Drapes" concerning Martha Rosler's body of work, as it isn't one of her widely recognized pieces. However, the reference to "cleaning the drapes" might still connect to themes found in Rosler’s broader artistic practice, especially her focus on domesticity, gender roles, and socio-political issues. During the time of the Vietnam War men were expected to fight while the women stayed behind to look after the home and children. Many of those who were drafted or volunteered were not wealthy or in college. Often those who had affluence or were in college were granted exceptions to going to fight. What you often found was that those who were sent overseas were from less fortunate socioeconomic backgrounds. Martha Rosler’s work could help clarify the relationship between this concept and her artistic vision. By interrupting peaceful home settings with images of war and destruction, Rosler critiques the way American society, particularly suburban America, often was self-absorbed in their own lives and ignored or forgot that they had or had troops in harm's way. They sometimes justified to themselves that war is necessary as long as it doesn’t disrupt their daily life. They wanted to not “get themselves dirty or think too much about the war…keep it at arm's length. If we take the title as a metaphor it might symbolize an effort to maintain the illusion of tranquility and comfort in the home. Rosler’s career began in the 1960s, in the U.S. with the Civil Rights Movement, second-wave feminism, and the Vietnam War all being significant events. Rosler has consistently critiqued the way society at the time idealized gender roles in media, all while masking the darker realities of violence, war, and inequality. This piece was created like the others in New York City at the height of the Vietnam War and was part of her storytelling of domestic life, the graphic visions of the war, and the beauty of coming home. I felt like I was looking to the past and reliving my memories of my own childhood when my dad was deployed, missing him and wondering if he was safe.
Vietnam II, by Leon Golub, 1973
Vietnam II is one of Leon Golubs art pieces. Completed in 1973 during the pivotal period of this artist’s career when he was drawn and focused on the surroundings of the Vietnam War. It was completed in Chicago Illinois where he had both lived and worked for most of his life. At the time, Golub was an influential figure in the Chicago art scene, and he was deeply engaged with the social and political issues of the era, including the anti-Vietnam War movement. Chicago's cultural landscape, particularly the university and activist communities, provided a context in which Golub's works resonated with the political climate of the early 1970s. The history behind Leon Golub’s Vietnam II (1973) is deeply tied to the cultural and political context of the early 1970s, a time when the Vietnam War was a central issue in the United States and around the world. The Vietnam War, which lasted from 1955 to 1975, was a controversial conflict that led to worldwide protests, mainly in the United States. In the early 1970s, public opinion was increasingly against U.S. involvement in Vietnam, as the war seemed unending and the human cost was immense. The U.S. was facing growing protests from both anti-war activists and the general public. Many of those who were protesting were veterans who had returned from the war felt betrayed and were deeply disillusioned by the government's handling of the war. Those veterans often threw away their medals and uniforms at the US Capitol as a symbol of their opposition to the war. Their protest helped to sway American public opinion against the war in Vietnam. At the time of this painting, the United States was beginning to pull back from Vietnam, following years of intense military engagement and mounting casualties. The 1973 signing of the Paris Peace Accords signaled the official end of U.S. combat involvement in Vietnam, though the war would continue for two more years before the fall of Saigon in 1975. Vietnam II became a powerful piece in Golub's body of work and is considered an iconic representation of 1970s protest art. It remains a part of his larger oeuvre, in which the artist interrogated issues of power, violence, and suffering. Golub’s paintings from this period are seen as a critique of the U.S. military and the global consequences of war. His raw, confrontational style invites viewers to face the reality of war head-on, challenging them to reflect on the ethical and human toll of military violence. The picture of the protestors brought to mind the feeling of how people can feel upset and disagree with the political reasons for sending troops to fight but still support the soldiers who didn’t have a choice to not go and fight.
A Necessary Man, by Leon Golub, not found
Pinochet saluting, By Leon Golub, 1977
Another one of his pieces called Pinochet Saluting was completed in 1977. Golub’s style is marked by almost primal figures that clearly convey the dehumanizing effects that can happen with an imbalance of power. With pieces of art like Pinochet Saluting, you might see visions of military figures in exaggerated poses. These almost over-emphasize the authoritarian nature of their regimes. The backstory of Leon Golub's 1977 painting Pinochet saluting as well as many of his other pieces from this time, are a direct result of Golub’s engagement with the political upheavals of the 1970s. Golub was an artist deeply concerned with the intersection of art and politics, and his works from this time represent his view of the brutal realities of military dictatorships and the violence they inflicted. Golub’s art pieces were meant to provoke an emotional response in those who were able to view them. The start reality shown in the art was meant to force them to confront the violence, injustice, and terror that these leaders embodied. His work during this time was very forceful and powerful. His figures were often shown in thick textured paint and often seemed to be caught in violent, intense moments. These moments brought the viewer into the world of places like the Vietnam War which had often been the inspiration for the pieces. He had a gifted ability to convey the human cost of such violence through a visual representation that was as uncomfortable and provocative to those at the time as well as viewers today.
Golub's paintings evoke intense emotions, primarily anger, disgust, fear, and despair. These emotions arise from his portrayal of figures involved in political violence, often reduced to grotesque, inhuman caricatures. His paintings force the viewer to confront the brutality and terror of authoritarian regimes, making the viewer feel the weight of oppression, violence, and loss. Paintings capture the horrifying effects of dictatorial power, torture, and state violence. Viewers may feel anger towards the figures depicted—whether Pinochet or other military leaders—and a deep frustration with the injustice they represent. Although Golub’s paintings do not directly depict the victims of these regimes, the anguish of the scenes he portrays can evoke deep sorrow. The figures of military leaders in the act of saluting or displaying power are often shown without any context for their victims, but the viewer can imagine the suffering behind these powerful gestures. This emotional distance invites a kind of empathy for those who lived under such brutal regimes, stirring feelings of sadness and helplessness. The fear and anxiety that the viewer may felt looking at this and his other paintings show a story of how the soldier fighting in the Vietnam war might’ve felt. Or how Golub might’ve felt. The emotional impact that the painting portrayed and spread to the viewers may not just be about feeling anger or sorrow—it’s about grappling with the discomfort of acknowledging the atrocities of the past and their ongoing impact. Golub's paintings are designed to be provocative, forcing viewers to reckon with uncomfortable truths. The figures he portrays are not just military leaders; they are symbols of the violence that continues to shape societies around the world. The emotional connection to Golub’s 1977 painting is complicated and has many layers. It elicits a mixture of horror, empathy, anger, and a profound sense of moral responsibility. His art transcends the specifics of the political moment it was created, engaging with universal themes of power, violence, and human suffering. This emotional intensity makes his work both powerful and timeless.
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