November 9, 2010 / Klint Finley. The question here is not whether or not Jackson Pollock was, in fact, affiliated with the Communist Party in the 1930s, but, simply, if there were enough left-wing connections to make him politically suspect in the eyes of right-wing congressmen. Students who find writing to be a difficult task. Rabid anti-communists in Congress and the nation as a whole made official sponsorship of many cultural projects impracticable. Jackson Pollack was one of the leading figures in using this style in his paintings. ", Contrast to 'regimented, traditional and narrow' nature of 'socialist realism' new, fresh and creative artistically avant-garde and original. During the early years of the Cold War, the threat of a world conflict and the possible spread of Communism was cause for great concern in the United States and led to a climate of suspicion that culminated in McCarthyism (headed by Republican senator Joseph McCarthy, in office 1947-1957), a witch hunt . Abstract Expressionism, Weapon of the Cold War TO UNDERSTAND WHY A particular art movement becomes successful under a given set of historical circumstances requires an examination of the specifics of patronage and the ideological needs of the powerful. 1962 to 1963 McCray year's travel Asia and Africa under the joint auspices of the State Department and MOMA. McCray is a particularly powerful and effective man in the history of cultural imperialism. Especially important was the attempt to influence intellectuals and artists behind the iron curtain. During the post-Stalin era in 1956, when the Polish government under Gomulka became more liberal, Tadeusz Kantor, an artist from Cracow, impressed by the work of Pollock and other abstractionists which he had seen during an earlier trip to Paris, began to lead the movement away from socialist realism in Poland. Abstract The aim of the thesis is to analyze the influences of Abstract Expressionism and its connection with American propaganda. museum, although to a lesser extent than the Rockefellers. Aims similar to those of the CIA can easily be followed with support of Nelson Rockefeller's millions. Braden, in fact, represents once again the, executive secretary from April 1948 to November 1949. MOMA major supporter of the Abstract Expressionist movement huge impact in the sphere of contemporary American art. Abstract art, on the other hand, is feared and prohibited by the Hitlers and Stalins (as well as the Donderos of the world, who would equate abstraction with communism). Almost every secretary of state after the end of World War II has been trained and groomed by various foundations and agencies controlled or managed by the Rockefellers. Post industrial revolution art became part of general flow of commodities in the market no direct contact with patrons, Rejected materialistic values of bourgeois society refused to accept their roles as creators of a commercial product. It was an extended confrontation between two superpowers, the USSR and the United States. 1. Links between cultural cold war politics and the success of abstract expressionism forged consciously by most some of the most influential figures controlling museum policies a. Willem de Koonings work was included in the U.S. representation at the Venice Biennale as early as 1948. According to Russell Lynes, in his comprehensive new book Good Old Modern: An Intimate Portrait of the Museum of Modern Art, the purpose of MoMAs international program was overtly political: to let it be known especially in Europe that America was not the cultural backwater that the Russians, during that tense period called the cold war, were trying to demonstrate that it was.. Museums, for their part, enlarged their role to become more than mere repositories of past art, and began to exhibit and collect contemporary art. In the years following World War II, a group of artists who rejected figuration in favour of abstraction emerged in the United States. A 1995 Independent article on the CIA's role in promoting Abstract Expressionism describes these attitudes during the Cold War period: In the 1950s and 1960s the great majority of Americans disliked or even despised modern artPresident Truman summed up the popular view when he said: "If that's art, then I'm a Hottentot." Braden and the CIA served interests of the Rockefellers and other corporate luminaries in the American ruling class. 1 book. If you own the copyright to this book and it is wrongfully on our website, we offer a simple DMCA procedure to remove your content from our site. Rich and powerful patrons of art like Rockefeller and Whitney control museums and help oversee foreign policy recognize the value of culture in the political arena. in an article in artforum (1974), "abstract expressionism: weapon of the cold war", eva cockroft wrote: "links between cultural cold war politics and the success of abstract expressionism. 1956 international program of MOMA greatly expanded in financial base and in its aims. For example Guggenheim's gallery offered one-man shows to Jackson Pollock 1943, 1945, 1947. It assumed a quasi-official character, providing the U.S. "The alleged separation of art from politics proclaimed throughout the 'free world' with the resurgence of abstraction after the Second World War was part of a general tendency in intellectual circles toward 'objectivity'. For [], Its impossible to analyse Beckett without struggling with his works abstract, surreal nature; the typical minimalist language mixed with abnormal premises make it difficult to find comprehensible meaning. American cold war rhetoric; existentialist-individualist credos. For Nelsons Inter-American Affairs Office, mothers museum put together 19 exhibitions of contemporary American painting which were shipped around Latin America, an area in which Nelson Rockefeller had developed his most lucrative investmentse.g., Creole Petroleum, a subsidiary of Standard Oil of New Jersey, and the single most important economic interest in oil-rich Venezuela. Cold War Expressionism is an expose of the art world after World War II where a new triumphalism and a growing conservatism on the part of the US helped bring to power a depoliticized art which went under the rubric of Abstract Expressionism and which functioned as an advertisement for American capi This example - reflects the success of political aims of the international programs of MOMA. In his battle against the ignorant right-wing McCarthyists at home, Barr reflected the attitudes of enlightened cold warriors like CIAs Braden and MoMAs McCray. The U.S. Governments difficulties in handling the delicate issues of free speech and free artistic expression, generated by the McCarthyist hysteria of the early 1950s, made it necessary and convenient for MoMA to assume this role of international representation for the United States. In Bradens words, . ", William de Kooning work was included in the United States representation at the Venice Biennale 1948. When the U.S government agencies found that there is a common link between many artists and communist ideologies, and they want to express the meaning of Western Culture as free which the Soviet Union was not. In 196263, McCray undertook a years travel in Asia and Africa under the joint auspices of the State Department and MoMA. Funded almost entirely by Rockefeller money and that of other American investors in Latin America Council advises the United States government on foreign policy. It was the perfect contrast to the regimented, traditional, and narrow nature of socialist realism. It was new, fresh, and creative. Braden: " the idea that Congress would have approved many of our projects was about as likely as the John Birch Society's approving Medicare.". According to Braden enlightened members of the governmental bureaucracy recognized in the 1950s that 'dissenting opinions within the framework of agreement on cold-war fundamentals' - an effective propaganda weapon abroad. Post-Stalin era 1956 Polish government was under Gomulka became more liberal Tadeusz Kantor, an artist from Cracow impressed by Pollock's works and other abstractionists seen during an earlier trip to Paris led movement away from socialist realism in Poland. Keywords: Quasi-official; representation; biennale, Topic sentence: "The CIA, primarily through the activities of Thomas W. Braden, also was active in the cold-war cultural offensive.". His paintings were artworks that disobeyed the orthodox rationalization. Representational Abstract art is the more basic out of the three; nonrepresentational, representational and abstract. Hans Hoffman, 1944 Mark Rothko, 1945. Reported on 28 June 1956 New York Times Fulbright: 'unless the agency changes its policy it should not try to send any more exhibitions overseas. Keywords: Immoral; dissenting opinions; liberal and social fronts, Topic sentence: "As this example suggests, CIA's purpose in supporting international intellectual and cultural activities were not limited to espionage or establishing contact with leading foreign intellectuals.". Throughout the early 1940s MoMA engaged in a number of war-related programs which set the pattern for its later activities as a key institution in the cold war. Founded and supported by the giants of industry and finance, American museums were set up on the model of their corporate parents. However, rabid anticommunists in Congress and the nation as a whole made official sponsorship of many cultural projects impracticable. The political strife in Europe brought about by World War II forced many artists to emigrate to the United States, bringing with them their own traditions and ideas. And advocating enlightened cold war tactics to woo European intellectuals. In its Park Avenue offices of a former mansion donated by the Rockefeller family, the Center offers exhibits of Latin American art and guest lectures by leading Latin American painters and intellectuals. 1950s Porter McCray director of MOMA in effect, also carried out government functions. Absolutely spot on.Congratulations.You nailed it. By 1950, he was joined by Arshile Gorky and Pollock. Barrs credentials as a cultural cold warrior, and the political rationale behind the promotion and export of Abstract Expressionist art during the cold war years, are set forth in a New York Times Magazine article Barr wrote in 1952, Is Modern Art Communistic?, a condemnation of social realism in Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Click here to navigate to respective pages. After the war Brought to MOMA by Nelson Rockefeller as director of circulating exhibits, 1946 to 1949 served as member of MOMA'a coordinating committee, 1951 a year's leave of absence to work for exhibitions section of the Marshall plan in Paris, 1952 MOMA's international program five year grant of $ 625,000 from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund McCray became its director. Almost every secretary of state after the end of World War II has been trained and groomed by various foundations and agencies controlled or managed by the Rockefellers. 1961 Kandor and fourteen other non-objective Polish painters given an exhibition at MOMA. United States came to fulfill the role of official patronage no accountability, however primarily a private institution supported by giants of industry and finance governed by self-perpetuating boards of trustees they also control banks and corporations and help in the formulation of foreign policy, which ultimately determine museum policy. The Emergence of Abstract Expressionism. 1956 international program of MOMA greatly expanded in financial base and in its aims. Earlier and during Renaissance patronage hand in hand with official power. view, such linkages to controversial political, activities might actually heighten the value of these artists as a propaganda, painting was exported abroad almost from the beginning. Abstract expressionism. 1950s Porter McCray director of MOMA in effect, also carried out government functions. MOMA founded in 1929 through the efforts of Mrs. John D. Rockefeller Jr. 1939 Nelson Rockefeller became president of MOMA left in 1940 to become President Roosevelt's co-coordinator of the office of Inter-American Affairs later, Assistant Secretary of State for Latin American Affairs dominated museum throughout 1940s and 1950s returned to MOMA's presidency in 1946. The man who was to direct MoMAs international programs in the 1950s, Porter A. McCray, also worked in the Office of Inter-American Affairs during the war. As director of MoMAs international activities throughout the 1950s, Porter A. McCray in effect carried out governmental functions, even as Braden and the CIA served the interests of the Rockefellers and other corporate luminaries in the American ruling class. The U.S. Government's difficulties in hand. ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM, WEAPON OF THE COLD WAR McCray served as one of the Rockefellers' main agents in furthering pro- grammes for the export of American culture to areas considered vital to Rockefeller interests: Latin America during the war, Europe immediately afterwards, most of the world during the 1950s, and in the 1960s Asia. Included several of the Abstract Expressionists. After the war, Nelson Rockefeller brought McCray into MoMA as director of circulating exhibits. The rise of fascism in 1930s Europe and the resulting war had brought a wave of immigrant artists over to the United States. MOMA founded in 1929 through the efforts of Mrs. John D. Rockefeller Jr. 1939 Nelson Rockefeller became president of MOMA left in 1940 to become President Roosevelt's co-coordinator of the office of Inter-American Affairs later, Assistant Secretary of State for Latin American Affairs dominated museum throughout 1940s and 1950s returned to MOMA's presidency in 1946.