Mid-Modernism: Vietnam War Influence on Art

The War

 At first, America only provided support and money to South Vietnam, then rapidly this support turned into having American troops in Vietnam. The Vietnam War was the first war that was televised and well reported on, and the things that the American people saw shocked them. The things that soldiers did there to civilians and hostiles were for the first time publicized, and these things horrified the public. Artists took to creating works that showed their repulsion of the war and the acts being committed.

The Art

Martha Rosler

Cleaning the Drapes (1967-72), by Martha Rosler, was created in America. Courtesy of Smithsonian.

Martha Rosler created Bringing the War Home which was a series of photomontages, which included Cleaning the Drapes, in which she spliced together with images of the war and images from a magazine called House Beautiful. The Vietnam War was called the living-room war because of all the television reports, and Rosler used this description to create her series. 

I like this series because of how literal she took "living-room war", you can tell immediately what Rosler was going for when you look at the image. I also like how the woman is pulling back the drapes to reveal the image of soldiers, all while she goes about her normal day. The commentary on how Americans were watching all the reports from the safety of home, while atrocities were being committed overseas is being conveyed in the image. 

Judy Chicago

Immolation (1972), by Judy Chicago, was created in California. Courtesy of Smithsonian. 

Judy Chicago had this in her portfolio On Fire, which drew influence from Thích Quảng Đức, a Vietnamese monk who set himself on fire in protest of the South Vietnamese government's persecution of Buddhists. Along with artists, other monks and peace activists  were influenced by him and also set themselves on fire in protest. It is also said the smoke's color is to represent Rainbow Herbicides, which were chemical defoliants used by U.S. troops in Vietnam. 

What I like about Judy Chicago's piece are the colors and how it is composed with smoke. The pose she captures adds to the atmosphere, with her face hidden. I also like that they took advantage of the Californian desert for the background.

Kim Jones

Mudman Costume (1974) by Kim Jones, created in California. Courtesy of Minneapolis Institute of Art. 

The Mudman became the alter ego to Kim Jones who had served in Vietnam as a postal clerk for the Marine Corps, it was on January 28, 1976, that he first walked down Wilshire Boulevard covered in mud. The walk took about 12 hours to complete and ended at the ocean. After this walk, he would wear the costume at a gallery in California State University and perform. 

Before the war, Kim Jones was an artist, but once he was home he felt that normal expressions of art couldn't capture how he felt and the feelings of war. It is said that during his performance at the gallery he would set a cage of rate on fire, then scream along with the rats. He himself said that it was other veterans who would come up to him and tell him they understand what he was portraying, that they get it. 

Since that I haven't seen this performance in action, just photos of the costume, I don't have a complete opinion on the performance. The burning rats part is worrisome, but the fact that the only way Jones could think to express himself was through performance says a lot about how the experience in Vietnam changed him. 

Jesse Treviño

Mi Vida (1971-72) by Jesse Treviño, created in San Antonio. Courtesy of Glasstire. 

Jesse Treviño was another Vietnam veteran, he was drafted after his time in art school in New York. In 1967 Jesse was very seriously injured, a sniper shattered his femur and severed an artery while a booby trap left shrapnel wounds on him and the aftermath of this would lead to the amputation of his right hand and forearm in 1970, his dominant hand used for his paintings. It was another veteran named Armando Albarran that encouraged him to start painting with his left hand in 1968, Armando pushed him to it so much that Jesse painted Armando so he would leave him alone. Painting with his left hand was painful, it caused his right side to hurt and it took a few weeks to complete the portrait because of this, it wasn't until 1970 that he would decide to amputate his right forearm. 

He thought that the amputation would help with the pain, but it didn't as phantom pain was just as bad. For six months after the amputation, he didn't want to paint, and he began to paint his bedroom wall after some deep introspection. His bedroom wall would become Mi Vida, he holed up in his room to complete in with only spotlights or light. Each subject within the painting related to his experiences in Vietnam and the aftermath of his time there, the purple heart medal he earned, and his prosthetic arm which he glued turquoise onto is featured in the painting. Also featured was the car he bought with his army compensation and what he used to get through his experiences; coffee, cigarettes, beer, and pills. 

This is my favorite piece that I chose, the fact that despite what he went through he still succeed as an artist and pushed himself to succeed. I'm also a fan of the collage style that he uses, each object has a specific meaning to him and tells his story, and how the woman's face is half covered but her one eye captivates you.

Yoko Ono & John Lennon

Bed-In (1969) by Yoko Ono and John Lennon in Montreal. Photo by Gerry Dieter. Courtesy of Museum of Modern Art.

The Bed-Ins for Peace were week-long protests by Yoko Ono and John Lennon against wars and to promote peace. These bed-ins were filmed and made into a documentary, they also invited interviewers to come. They, along with some other artists they invited, would sing Give Peace a Chance. They held the bed-ins in Montreal and Amsterdam following their marriage, they hoped to inspire peace and stop the war. These bed-ins would later inspire other artists to do something similar or influence their works.

I appreciate their intentions, but it is my least favorite. I know that they were odd people, but it is a little too odd for me. The fact that the press never really took it seriously also hurt their efforts. But again, I do appreciate them using their celebrity status to promote the things they believe in and try to make a difference.

Philip Jones Griffiths

Philip Jones Griffiths, Vietnam 1980. Both daughters had been born blind due to the damaging effects of Agent Orange. Image courtesy of Philip Jones Griffiths.

The photographs taken by Philip Griffiths are very moving, I highly recommend looking at his Vietnam Inc photobook. Although I should warn that there are some disturbing images within the collection, such as a photo of a Vietnamese dancer who is attacked by U.S. Navy men she was performing for, it is implied that she was raped, and other photos show horribly injured people. 

All of the photos he takes are beautiful as they are disturbing, the black and white of the photos add to the story. I feel that if they were in color they wouldn't be as powerful, the lack of color lets the light be more dramatic. The photograph I chose from his collection is of a mother and her two blind daughters, the blindness is a side effect of Agent Orange and other Rainbow Herbicides that the U.S. used in Vietnam. The chemicals damage the genes and cause birth defects, this damage is still felt today in Vietnam. Their father was a truck driver who drove down a road that was repeatedly sprayed with Agent Orange. 

The emotions Griffiths is able to evoke in his photos really is unreal, he chose to photograph not just the U.S. soldiers, but civilians and the Viet Cong as well. He set out to tell people the real story of what was going on, even if it was a disturbing reality. 

Overall

The Vietnam War influenced many different types of artists and led to a lot of antiwar sentiment and art. It influenced artists from all walks of life, from those who served in the war, civilians, and celebrities. The sheer amount of different art created that was influenced by the war is amazing, there were performance art, paintings, songs, and so many different ways artists chose to interpret the horrors going on. Looking into it could be difficult because of the things that were done and documented, but I think it is important to acknowledge these things. The acts being so publicized on television and for the public to see some of the horrors was very different from past wars where the public really only knew what was approved to be reported on. 

Work Cited

Chicago, Judy. “Immolation, from the Portfolio ‘on Fire.’” Smithsonian American Art Museum, americanart.si.edu/artwork/immolation-portfolio-fire-113493.

Cordova, Ruben. “A Baptism of Fire: Jesse Treviño Paints 'Mi Vida'.” Glasstire, 26 Jan. 2019, glasstire.com/2019/01/26/a-baptism-of-fire-jesse-trevino-paints-mi-vida/.

Rosler, Martha. “Martha Rosler. Cleaning the Drapes from the Series House Beautiful: Bringing the War Home. c. 1967-72: MoMA.” The Museum of Modern Art, www.moma.org/collection/works/150123.

Seymour, Tom. “Philip Jones GRIFFITHS: A Legacy in Photobooks • Magnum Photos Magnum Photos.” Magnum Photos, 29 May 2018, www.magnumphotos.com/theory-and-practice/philip-jones-griffiths-legacy-photobooks/.

“Why the Vietnam War Still MATTERS: Connecting the Art of the 1960s to Our Time.” Why the Vietnam War Still Matters: Connecting the Art of the 1960s to Our Time –– Minneapolis Institute of Art, 25 Sept. 2019, new.artsmia.org/stories/why-the-vietnam-war-still-matters-connecting-the-art-of-the-1960s-to-our-time.

“Yoko Ono. Bed-in. 1969: MoMA.” The Museum of Modern Art, www.moma.org/audio/playlist/15/382.

Early Modernism: Influence of WWI

 After the destruction of World War 1, it was harder for artists to go back to more traditional and lighthearted art styles. Many of the styles that emerged were abstract and were more experimental than before. Some styles were even direct stances against what they believed to be the root cause of the war, tradition. 

Dada

The artists of the Dada movement took on a nihilistic view after the war rejecting tradition. Marcel Duchamp is said to have rejected art that was made for the eyes, and not the mind. They wanted to embrace the absurd, illogical, and many of the artists chose not to use the human form unless it was distorted or made to seem manufactured. 

Dada Puppen (1916) by Hannah Höch in Berlin, Germany. Courtesy of Kunstdunst

Most of Hannah Höch's work is dadaist photomontages, but this piece is a pair of dolls that are said to be inspired by Hugo Ball's performance at Cabaret Voltaire. It is said that the shapes of the doll's clothing resemble the geometric costume Hugo Ball wore during the performance; unfortunately, I could not find a photo to compare the two. Whether Hannah was truly inspired by Ball or not, the dolls give off an industrial feel. To me, they almost look as if they're wearing spacesuits.

I like the playfulness of the dolls, that you recognize them as the human form, but there is something very off about them. The colors of the dolls aren't very vibrant and that they're disjointed, but I think it adds to the mechanical feel. What I like most of all are the shapes within the dolls, how the taller one has a triangular skirt and the circular forms on the smaller doll's shoulders and knees. Many in the dada movement believed that technology was turning mankind into machines themselves, and it is speculated that this is what Hannah was trying to portray. Another speculation as to why Höch, and other dada artists, portrayed the human form as mechanical or mutilated is the many soldiers who returned home as amputees and with prosthetics. 

Surrealism

Surrealism was created from dadaism and influenced by Sigmund Freud and dream worlds. Some artists focused on creating whatever comes to their mind with no planning, while others focused on dreamscapes and the unconscious mind. Artists turned to surrealism after they thought dadaism became too organized and lost its original intent. 

Insomnia (1947) by Remedios Varo in Mexico. Courtesy of MutualArt

This painting was actually commissioned by the Bayer company to advertise sleeping pills, it represents what insomnia feels like. What I really like about this piece is the hard lines throughout the painting, and the weirdness of the scene. To me it really does seem like a sleep disorder come to life with the eyes watching from every corner, and there is a sense of anxiety and sense of being trapped in a dark space. The perspective that Varo uses, makes it so the viewer can see through multiple doorways, so the eyes to look both far away and very close adding to the feeling of unease. 

Surrealism continues the uncertain and darker imagery that was born from post World War 1 sentiment that dadaism had, but it starts to focus more on projecting those feelings, along with influences from Freud, into dream like worlds. Personally, I prefer surrealism over dadaism but it is mostly due to aesthetic tastes. I like how experimental and creative the dada movement was, but something about surrealism apeals to me more. 

De Stijl  

De Stijl, meaning the style, was a reaction to the excess of art deco, and so this style focuses on form and function rather than any frills. It was also a reaction to the horrors of war, the movement wanted to recreate society and uphold an idea of a utopia. Many artists embraced geometric shapes and lines and creating harmony in their designs. 

Rietveld Schröder House (1924) by Gerrit Rietveld in Netherlands. Courtesy of The Collector

The architecture of the De Stijl movement is pretty iconic, you can see the geometric shapes that inspired the design clearly and there are pops of primary colors that are a staple in this style. Inside the house there are sliding walls to make spaces bigger or smaller depending on the need. I like the architecture of this art style, but the other forms of art work are a little too simple for my taste. I appreciate the emphasis on function that the artists had and some of the creative solutions Rietveld had for the house. I reccomend that people look at other views and more inside photos of the house, it is pretty cool inside.

Inside view of Rietveld Schröder House

Final Thought

All three of these art movements are the aftermath of World War 1 and the reaction to the horrors of it. Some styles are a commentary on what they believe is the cause, and others are ways to try and transform the world after the chaos. All three are very different than the styles that came before them, the focus of art was changing during this time. I think all three are very interesting and learning the context of the pieces is as interesting as the pieces, some art styles I prefered over others but overall they're all visually interesting. 

Sources

Dadaism - Art and Anti Art, Arty Factory , www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/art_movements/dadaism.htm.

Seiferle, Rebecca. “Remedios Varo Artworks & Famous Paintings.” The Art Story, 20 Sept. 2017, www.theartstory.org/artist/varo-remedios/artworks/.

Souter, Anna. “Hannah Höch Artworks & Famous Photomontages.” The Art Story, 21 Jan. 2016, www.theartstory.org/artist/hoch-hannah/artworks/.

“Surrealism Movement Overview.” The Art Story, 21 Dec. 2011, www.theartstory.org/movement/surrealism/.

Trachtman, Paul. “A Brief History of Dada.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 1 May 2006, www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/dada-115169154/.

“Unesco World Heritage in Utrecht.” Rietveld Schröder House, 9 June 2021, www.rietveldschroderhuis.nl/en/rietveld-schroder-house.

Wolf, Justin. “De Stijl Movement Overview.” The Art Story, 22 Nov. 2011, www.theartstory.org/movement/de-stijl/.

Romantic Era

The Era

The Romantic Era took place during the 1800's, the predominant art styles of this period included the romantic, realist, impressionism and post-impressionism, and art nouveau styles. There were many new styles of art as exploration and shifts in society continued to expand, as well as some styles being created in direct opposition of another art style. As the world continued to evolve, as did the art world.

I am choosing to focus on art nouveau and the realist movements, but I cannot truly saw I choose one style over another. These two styles are drastically different from each other visually, both groups made stances for their own beliefs. The realists were anti-institutional and sought to take a moral stance against the bourgeois, and the art nouveau sought to bring back quality craftsmanship and step away from historical styles of the past and rebel against academic art.

Alphonse Mucha - Art Nouveau

 Princess Hyacinth(1911) by Alphonse Mucha, Czech Republic. Courtesy of Mucha Museum

This art nouveau ballet poster is by Alphonse Mucha, who was a prominent figure of this movement. This poster exemplifies the art elements that make art nouveau; muted colors, flowy and organic ornamentations, and taking inspiration from nature. The muted color palette is throughout the poster and the natural elements is seen with the floral decorations on Princess Hyacinth. The iconic art nouveau ornamentations is seen within the circle that goes around Princess Hyacinth; if you look closely at it you can see motifs that relate to the story of the ballet such as blacksmith tools, a crown, and sorcery instruments. 

I highly recommend browsing other works by Mucha, I enjoy a lot of his posters and designs. The only criticism I have is that a lot of his female characters look very similar to one another, but he did do a lot of series of paintings, such as a series titled The Moon and Stars,  so that may be why. 

Jules Lavirotte - Art Nouveau 

Lavirotte building(1899-1901) by Jules Lavirotte, Paris, France. Courtesy of Un Jour de Plus a Paris

This apartment building in Paris, France was designed by Jules Lavirotte and had won a facade competition in 1901. Looking at the decorations around the doors, windows, and balconies you can see how many curved and organic lines that make up the design. Above the entrance you see a woman, it is not clear who the inspiration for her is but some say it was based on Lavirotte's wife, and to the sides of her are Adam and Eve. What many art nouveau artists strived for was to bring back craftsmanship and break away from traditional designs, which is what he accomplished. The outside has glazed ceramic tiles which was new at the time, and the sculptures and ironwork were designed by Lavirotte, but made by local craftsmen. Inside the structure he used an early form of reinforced concrete and built the walls to have a layer of air in them to provide better soundproofing. 

While I may not build an apartment like this, at the time it was innovative and new techniques were used during the construction.

 I like art nouveau art and furniture design, but for me the architecture falls a little flat compared to other styles. I do like all the curves in the design of the building and how the decorations are nature inspired such as the iron lizards that decorate the door (a little hard to see in the photo above). The one criticism I would have is the supposed erotic elements of the building, while I am not sure it is intentional it is how some interpret some of the elements. Some of these elements include the phallic looking door, the iron lizards I liked so much are supposedly in reference to a French term for genitals, and some people say they see other erotic imagery within the decorations. I'm not sure how common it was for buildings to have such elements, to me it seems out of place in a building you would live in.

Top portion of the Lavirotte building

Jean-François Millet - Realism

 The Gleaners (1857) by Jean-François Millet, France. Courtesy of The Art Story

Millet, like many realist painters, depicts non-idealized events of the working class. Gleaners were workers who came after harvesters to pick up anything that was left behind. It is said that Millet chose to paint three women to represent the three movements gleamers did; bend, pick, and stand back up. What I really like about the realist movement is the artists stance to show everyday life, even if people thought it was ugly and not catering to the tastes of the wealthy. When Millet had this painting on display in France, there were many reviews that called it ugly and the women homely. 

The elements of art that I like about the painting are the color palette, form, and texture. The muted colors adds to the sense of everyday and that these are workers going about their day, nothing glamorous. The form of the women gives a sense of them being three dimensional in this space, you can see their shadows and depth in the painting. There isn't a lot of texture, it mainly is within their clothing and the grass from the field. 

Gustave Courbet - Realism

  

Young Ladies of the Village(1851-1852) by Gustave Courbet, France. Courtesy of The Met

Courbet is another French realist who was criticized for making the figures "ugly". Which I don't agree with, they look fine to me, and he had based the women on his sisters so I doubt he thought they were ugly. He was also criticized for the size of the cows, which I can agree with, they look too big to be part of the background and too small to be part of the foreground compared to the size of the dog. 

Courbet did paintings to showcase his hometown of Ornans and those who live there, he also wanted to capture everyday life even if it seemed flawed or what wasn't considered beautiful. I love the texture on the dog, you can see how fluffy he is and there are patched of dirt and rock that you can just picture how they feel. The perspective is off, the cows are definitely the wrong size, but I don't think it throws off the whole painting as the focus is on the figures. I like that it shows real people going about their day, something I think is important that helps us today get a sense of what life was like during this period

Final Thoughts

I couldn't find a movement of art that I truly didn't like, I feel there will always be pieces in each movement that you like or dislike. It is interesting that many of these styles were happening at the same time or just right after the other one went out of style. Personally, the flair of art nouveau is more visually interesting, but I do like the everyday aspect of many of the realist paintings.

Sources

“Art Nouveau Architecture in Paris' 7th Arrondissement.” Paris Perfect, 28 Sept. 2020, www.parisperfect.com/blog/2011/03/art-nouveau-7th-arrondissement/.

“Art Nouveau Movement Overview.” The Art Story, 21 Jan. 2012, www.theartstory.org/movement/art-nouveau/.

Foundation, Mucha. “Princess Hyacinth.” Mucha Foundation, www.muchafoundation.org/en/gallery/browse-works/object/246.

“Gustave Courbet Paintings, Bio, Ideas.” The Art Story, 21 Feb. 2010, www.theartstory.org/artist/courbet-gustave/.

Ibrahim, About Afzal. “The Gleaners.” Artist PopLab, 27 Apr. 2020, www.theartist.me/artwork/the-gleaners/.

“Realism Movement Overview.” The Art Story, 21 Mar. 2015, www.theartstory.org/movement/realism/.

“Young Ladies of the Village.” Metmuseum.org, www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/438820.