I was amazed to see this article in my inbox today.... simply amazed. Shhhhhush,,,
This article is by Brian Sherwin, Regular contributing writer for FineArtViews. Brian Sherwin is an art critic, blogger, curator, artist and writer based near Chicago, Illinois. He has been published in Hi Fructose Magazine, Illinois Times, and other publications, and linked to by publications such as The Huffington Post, The Boston Globe, Juxtapoz Magazine, Deutsche Bank ArtMag, ARTLURKER, Myartspace, Blabbermouth, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Modern Art Obsession, Citizen LA, Shark Forum, Two Coats of Paint and Art Fag City. You should submit an article and share your views as a guest author by clicking here.
It is often suggested that artwork exploring politically conservative themes-- specifically of the Republican variety-- does not exist in mass-- or that artists who explore politically/socially conservative themes directly are merely 'bad' or 'untalented' artists that do more harm than good when representing said themes visually. Mention the need to examine conservative themed art during most online debates about art and you will experience this negativity first hand. I don't exactly blame people for going on the offensive whenever someone mentions conservatism and art. After all, a clear political bias has dominated within the mainstream art world since at least the 1950s. That said, I do think that it is time for the influence of conservatism to be considered directly by exhibit curators, art critics, and other art professionals who work within the mainstream art world.
The denial of conservatism within the context of contemporary art is nothing more than blind ignorance, in my opinion. The general attitude against such themes serve only to promote a visual lie in regards to the documentation of current art for future generations. Point blank-- it is absurd to suggest that all artists lean toward the political left or that all "great" art caters to politically/socially liberal views. Unfortunately, that suggestion dominates the core of how the culture of art is explored-- the suggestion has been cultivated for decades by art magazines, the majority of art exhibits, and the blunt of museum art exhibits as well. It has also been cultivated at most college/university art departments throughout the United States-- some art students having told me that they were informed, "That kind of work is not done here.", by their instructors after exploring conservative political and social themes openly in a positive manner.
Politically conservative viewpoints can be found in the mainstream art world-- even within the left-leaning New York art scene. However, the artworks that explore conservative themes in a positive manner-- or serve as a warning against aspects of political or social liberalism-- are rarely presented as visual dialogue pertaining to conservatism regardless if support to the Republican party is expressed or not. The political heart of these images are often locked away by reviewers and critics in general. I challenge anyone to find writing examples from 5 art critics in the last decade alone who have praised a work of art for its conservative angle in the same manner that liberal angles are praised. That challenge is a tough task considering that reviews/articles tend to explore the work from the political prejudice of the art writer-- most of whom-- and I know many-- are registered Democrats.
The negativism-- or should I say fear?-- surrounding openly conservative themed art is obvious to anyone who has ever mentioned the need for conservative themed art to be examined further during an art debate-- if only to secure the historical context of the work in regards to the times in which we live. Some art professionals have noticed a lack of direct conservative themed art. For example, art critic Jerry Saltz, arguably the most influential art critic in the United States and a staunch supporter of the Democrat party, has made random calls for conservative art to be examined further on his Facebook wall. Unfortunately, the response to said request-- or similar requests from other art-related professionals-- often goes unexplored-- or is simply ignored. It is almost as if the requests are made in jest-- simply to mock that direction in art.
I've experienced the flip-flopping over the suggestion of examining contemporary aspects of conservative themed art first hand. A few months ago art critic Jerry Saltz publicly challenged me to assemble a group of 25 artists who explore conservative themes. Rules were laid down: The artists could not be personal friends of mine, the artists had to have created art for at least a year, and so on. He stated that he would review the artwork and help to secure an exhibit space for it. It did not take long for me to discover artists who openly explore conservative themes in a non-derogatory manner. The artists, many of whom are college graduates, were entertained by the possibility because they all had endured what they felt was professional bias due to the political aspects of their art. Unfortunately, Saltz dropped his offer as quickly as he had made it. I honestly don't know if he backed out due to being fickle or if he was wary because he knew that I was making progress on the challenge.
Jerry Saltz is not the only art professional to falter when artists exploring conservative themes sound off to let others know that there is a politically conservative presence within the context of the art world-- one that has yet to be examined in full. Saltz is a decent guy and is reasonable on most things-- I respect him as a person and as a writer. Most of the art-related professionals I've met online or in person are very reasonable-- some border on being overly rational. However, when art and politics enter debates about culture it tends to bring out the worst in even the most humble of individuals-- the possibility of solid conservative themes inspiring visual art is often downplayed by being described as "just Jesus art", "nothing but poorly painted flags and uninformed opinions", or "GOP art propaganda.". These generalizations reveal ignorance of the subject-- which is further proof as to why current conservative themes in art should be explored thoroughly. After all, not all conservative-minded individuals are Christian-- furthermore, not all conservatives associate with the Republican party.
People need to realize that, like it or not, conservatism-- predominately in the form of the Republican party-- is a part of our history. Thus, I feel that it is vital for the visual aspects of that history to be examined further. I realize that private art galleries can deny visual aspects of culture if desired. That said, I will continue to assume that professional bias in regards to political views exists in the mainstream art world until I observe museum art exhibits-- many of which receive public funding-- that focus on current conservative themed art with the same professional focus that has been given to exhibits that clearly lean toward the political/social left. It should not be a "revolutionary" idea to suggest that our collective visual history should be preserved for future generations-- nor should someone, such as myself, be labeled a "provocateur" for suggesting it.
The opposing nature of politics in the United States-- even the extremes-- defines, for better or worse, who we are as a society. These views-- and the visual art inspired by them-- have a historical significance that should, in my opinion, go beyond our individual prejudice. We live in a country that is practically divided on specific political and social issues-- yet it appears that only one side of that dialogue is taken seriously within the professional world of art. Again, the entirety of visual dialogue concerning political views is significant-- future generations deserve to see the past unfold visually when the time comes for them to explore their own political motivations. Fear is never a good reason to deny a point of view from being heard-- or in this case, seen. The denial that the art world has shown, in my opinion, is a brutal form of ignorance-- one could suggest it is an extreme form of censorship.
As it stands, the rise of current politically conservative art will most likely have to come in the form of a subversive art movement-- one that attracts momentum by means of alternative art exhibition routes in order to bash down the gates of the mainstream art world. This movement would involve artists who explore conservative themes working together toward a common goal-- allocating resources and connections in order to further the impact of their visual direction. With enough exposure and influence the powers that be within the mainstream art world will let down their guard-- if only to invest on trending art. After all, the mainstream art market has long thrived due to Republican capitalism-- profit can obscure even the most forceful of ideologies.
Take care, Stay true,
Brian Sherwin
----------------------------------------------
This article appears courtesy of FineArtViews by Canvoo,
a free email newsletter about art, marketing, inspiration and fine living for artists,
collectors and galleries (and anyone else who loves art).
This article originally appeared at:
http://fineartviews.com/blog/29554/the-rise-of-politically-conservative-art-just-under-the-surface
For a complimentary subscription, visit: http://www.fineartviews.com
-----------------------------------------------
The Rise of Politically Conservative Art-- Just Under the Surface
by Brian SherwinThis article is by Brian Sherwin, Regular contributing writer for FineArtViews. Brian Sherwin is an art critic, blogger, curator, artist and writer based near Chicago, Illinois. He has been published in Hi Fructose Magazine, Illinois Times, and other publications, and linked to by publications such as The Huffington Post, The Boston Globe, Juxtapoz Magazine, Deutsche Bank ArtMag, ARTLURKER, Myartspace, Blabbermouth, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Modern Art Obsession, Citizen LA, Shark Forum, Two Coats of Paint and Art Fag City. You should submit an article and share your views as a guest author by clicking here.
It is often suggested that artwork exploring politically conservative themes-- specifically of the Republican variety-- does not exist in mass-- or that artists who explore politically/socially conservative themes directly are merely 'bad' or 'untalented' artists that do more harm than good when representing said themes visually. Mention the need to examine conservative themed art during most online debates about art and you will experience this negativity first hand. I don't exactly blame people for going on the offensive whenever someone mentions conservatism and art. After all, a clear political bias has dominated within the mainstream art world since at least the 1950s. That said, I do think that it is time for the influence of conservatism to be considered directly by exhibit curators, art critics, and other art professionals who work within the mainstream art world.
The denial of conservatism within the context of contemporary art is nothing more than blind ignorance, in my opinion. The general attitude against such themes serve only to promote a visual lie in regards to the documentation of current art for future generations. Point blank-- it is absurd to suggest that all artists lean toward the political left or that all "great" art caters to politically/socially liberal views. Unfortunately, that suggestion dominates the core of how the culture of art is explored-- the suggestion has been cultivated for decades by art magazines, the majority of art exhibits, and the blunt of museum art exhibits as well. It has also been cultivated at most college/university art departments throughout the United States-- some art students having told me that they were informed, "That kind of work is not done here.", by their instructors after exploring conservative political and social themes openly in a positive manner.
Politically conservative viewpoints can be found in the mainstream art world-- even within the left-leaning New York art scene. However, the artworks that explore conservative themes in a positive manner-- or serve as a warning against aspects of political or social liberalism-- are rarely presented as visual dialogue pertaining to conservatism regardless if support to the Republican party is expressed or not. The political heart of these images are often locked away by reviewers and critics in general. I challenge anyone to find writing examples from 5 art critics in the last decade alone who have praised a work of art for its conservative angle in the same manner that liberal angles are praised. That challenge is a tough task considering that reviews/articles tend to explore the work from the political prejudice of the art writer-- most of whom-- and I know many-- are registered Democrats.
The negativism-- or should I say fear?-- surrounding openly conservative themed art is obvious to anyone who has ever mentioned the need for conservative themed art to be examined further during an art debate-- if only to secure the historical context of the work in regards to the times in which we live. Some art professionals have noticed a lack of direct conservative themed art. For example, art critic Jerry Saltz, arguably the most influential art critic in the United States and a staunch supporter of the Democrat party, has made random calls for conservative art to be examined further on his Facebook wall. Unfortunately, the response to said request-- or similar requests from other art-related professionals-- often goes unexplored-- or is simply ignored. It is almost as if the requests are made in jest-- simply to mock that direction in art.
I've experienced the flip-flopping over the suggestion of examining contemporary aspects of conservative themed art first hand. A few months ago art critic Jerry Saltz publicly challenged me to assemble a group of 25 artists who explore conservative themes. Rules were laid down: The artists could not be personal friends of mine, the artists had to have created art for at least a year, and so on. He stated that he would review the artwork and help to secure an exhibit space for it. It did not take long for me to discover artists who openly explore conservative themes in a non-derogatory manner. The artists, many of whom are college graduates, were entertained by the possibility because they all had endured what they felt was professional bias due to the political aspects of their art. Unfortunately, Saltz dropped his offer as quickly as he had made it. I honestly don't know if he backed out due to being fickle or if he was wary because he knew that I was making progress on the challenge.
Jerry Saltz is not the only art professional to falter when artists exploring conservative themes sound off to let others know that there is a politically conservative presence within the context of the art world-- one that has yet to be examined in full. Saltz is a decent guy and is reasonable on most things-- I respect him as a person and as a writer. Most of the art-related professionals I've met online or in person are very reasonable-- some border on being overly rational. However, when art and politics enter debates about culture it tends to bring out the worst in even the most humble of individuals-- the possibility of solid conservative themes inspiring visual art is often downplayed by being described as "just Jesus art", "nothing but poorly painted flags and uninformed opinions", or "GOP art propaganda.". These generalizations reveal ignorance of the subject-- which is further proof as to why current conservative themes in art should be explored thoroughly. After all, not all conservative-minded individuals are Christian-- furthermore, not all conservatives associate with the Republican party.
People need to realize that, like it or not, conservatism-- predominately in the form of the Republican party-- is a part of our history. Thus, I feel that it is vital for the visual aspects of that history to be examined further. I realize that private art galleries can deny visual aspects of culture if desired. That said, I will continue to assume that professional bias in regards to political views exists in the mainstream art world until I observe museum art exhibits-- many of which receive public funding-- that focus on current conservative themed art with the same professional focus that has been given to exhibits that clearly lean toward the political/social left. It should not be a "revolutionary" idea to suggest that our collective visual history should be preserved for future generations-- nor should someone, such as myself, be labeled a "provocateur" for suggesting it.
The opposing nature of politics in the United States-- even the extremes-- defines, for better or worse, who we are as a society. These views-- and the visual art inspired by them-- have a historical significance that should, in my opinion, go beyond our individual prejudice. We live in a country that is practically divided on specific political and social issues-- yet it appears that only one side of that dialogue is taken seriously within the professional world of art. Again, the entirety of visual dialogue concerning political views is significant-- future generations deserve to see the past unfold visually when the time comes for them to explore their own political motivations. Fear is never a good reason to deny a point of view from being heard-- or in this case, seen. The denial that the art world has shown, in my opinion, is a brutal form of ignorance-- one could suggest it is an extreme form of censorship.
As it stands, the rise of current politically conservative art will most likely have to come in the form of a subversive art movement-- one that attracts momentum by means of alternative art exhibition routes in order to bash down the gates of the mainstream art world. This movement would involve artists who explore conservative themes working together toward a common goal-- allocating resources and connections in order to further the impact of their visual direction. With enough exposure and influence the powers that be within the mainstream art world will let down their guard-- if only to invest on trending art. After all, the mainstream art market has long thrived due to Republican capitalism-- profit can obscure even the most forceful of ideologies.
Take care, Stay true,
Brian Sherwin
----------------------------------------------
This article appears courtesy of FineArtViews by Canvoo,
a free email newsletter about art, marketing, inspiration and fine living for artists,
collectors and galleries (and anyone else who loves art).
This article originally appeared at:
http://fineartviews.com/blog/29554/the-rise-of-politically-conservative-art-just-under-the-surface
For a complimentary subscription, visit: http://www.fineartviews.com
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