78
submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by lurker_supreme@hexbear.net to c/art@hexbear.net

But why? I was reading a fairly vacuous art history book and they drop all this knowledge and then do 0 analysis of it. Feels like they're saying "teehee, ain't it so quirky?" Their best guess was to counter Socialist Realism and to promote the US as an art powerhouse, a vision of artistic freedom!!! Is that the materialist interpretation?

E: Thanks for all the thoughtful responses. Genuinely. When I write that it sounds corporate, but I mean it

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] lurker_supreme@hexbear.net 14 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Yeah the book I was reading said the artists did not necessarily know they were being used for propaganda. Some of them were nominally anti-gov, too. But outside of direct interviews which may not exist, I don't know if we can know for sure. Funny lil coinky dink, really gets my noggin jogging, Pollock was killed in a car crash. Not exactly a strange death in the US, but shrug-outta-hecks

E: I read he was visiting Europe when he died. Trying not to be too conspiracy brained. Just thought it was worth mentioning

[-] PKMKII@hexbear.net 11 points 1 day ago

There are some figures in the abstract expressionism movement that were questioned about it. They said the artists had no knowledge, but then again if I were a CIA op that’s exactly what I would say.

[-] lurker_supreme@hexbear.net 10 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Oh yeah also, immediately after his death the Met museum "acquired" all of his remaining works

this post was submitted on 04 Feb 2026
78 points (100.0% liked)

art

22943 readers
43 users here now

A community for sharing and discussing art in general.

If you are unsure if a piece of media is on theme for this community, you can make a post asking if it fits. Discussion posts are encouraged, and particularly interesting topics will get pinned periodically.

No links to a store page or advertising. Links to bandcamps, soundclouds, playlists, etc are fine.

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS