People who go into Quebec art galleries seem to be mixed up not understanding the content of the works and then people go out.
Freedom of expression being more important than the beauty of a work, that is the reason why I claim that we are in a cultural decadence in the visual arts.
The CIA, patron of Abstract Expressionism
The historian Frances Stonor Saunders, author of the masterful study on the CIA and the cultural cold war, has just published in the British press new details on the secret sponsorship of the CIA for abstract expressionism. La Repubblica wonders about the ideological use of this artistic trend.
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Jackson Pollock, Robert Motherwell, Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko. Nothing less than easy and even scandalous, the masters of abstract expressionism. A current really against the current, a slap to the certainties of the bourgeois society, which nevertheless had behind it the system itself. Because, for the first time, a rumor has been circulating for years: the CIA financed abstract expressionism abundantly. Purpose of the US secret services: to seduce the minds of classes that were far from the bourgeoisie in the years of the Cold War. It was precisely the CIA that organized the first major exhibitions of the New American Painting, which revealed the works of abstract expressionism in all major European cities: Modern Art in the United States (1955) and Masterpieces of the Twentieth Century (1952) .
Donald Jameson, an ex-agency official, is the first to admit that support for expressionist artists was part of the "long leash" policy for intellectuals. Refined strategy: to show the creativity and the spiritual, artistic and cultural vitality of capitalist society against the greyness of the Soviet Union and its satellites. Strategy adopted in all directions. CIA support favored cultural journals like Encounter, Preuves and, in Italy, Tempo presents Silone and Chiaramonte. And less bourgeois art forms such as jazz, sometimes, and, precisely, abstract expressionism.
The facts go back to the 50s and 60s, when Pollock and the other representatives of the current did not have good press in the USA. To give an idea of the climate with regard to them, let us recall President Truman's joke: "If this is art, I am a hottentot". But the US government, recalls Jameson, was precisely during those years in the difficult position of having to promote the image of the American system and in particular of one of its foundations, the fifth amendment, the freedom of expression , seriously tarnished after the witch hunt led by Senator Joseph McCarthy, in the name of the fight against communism.
To do this, it was necessary to send to the world a strong and clear signal in the opposite direction to McCarthyism. And we charged the CIA, which, basically, would operate in all consistency. Paradoxically indeed, at that time the agency represented a "liberal" enclave in a world that turned decisively right. Led by agents and employees most often from the best universities, often themselves art collectors, figurative artists or writers, CIA officials represented the counterweight to the methods, bigoted conventions and anti-communist fury of the CIA. FBI and colleagues of Senator McCarthy.
"Abstract expressionism, I could say that it was precisely us at the CIA who invented it," said Donald Jameson today, quoted by the British newspaper The Independent [1] - after throwing an eye and seizing steal the New York novelties, in Soho. Jokes aside, we immediately saw the difference very clearly. Abstract expressionism was the ideal kind of art to show how rigid, stylized, stereotyped the rigorous socialist realism in Russia was. Thus we decided to act in this direction.
But Pollock, Motherwell, Kooning, and Rothko knew? "Of course not," Jameson said immediately, "the artists were not aware of our game. It should be excluded that people like Rothko or Pollock never knew they were being helped in the shadows by the CIA, which had an essential role in their launch and in the promotion of their works. And in the vertiginous increase of their earnings.
TAKEN FROM VOLTAIRE NETWORK 2010/11/24
Posted by Albert Bastarache at 09:14
The historian Frances Stonor Saunders, author of the masterful study on the CIA and the cultural cold war, has just published in the British press new details on the secret sponsorship of the CIA for abstract expressionism. La Repubblica wonders about the ideological use of this artistic trend.
-------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------
Jackson Pollock, Robert Motherwell, Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko. Nothing less than easy and even scandalous, the masters of abstract expressionism. A current really against the current, a slap to the certainties of the bourgeois society, which nevertheless had behind it the system itself. Because, for the first time, a rumor has been circulating for years: the CIA financed abstract expressionism abundantly. Purpose of the US secret services: to seduce the minds of classes that were far from the bourgeoisie in the years of the Cold War. It was precisely the CIA that organized the first major exhibitions of the New American Painting, which revealed the works of abstract expressionism in all major European cities: Modern Art in the United States (1955) and Masterpieces of the Twentieth Century (1952) .
Donald Jameson, an ex-agency official, is the first to admit that support for expressionist artists was part of the "long leash" policy for intellectuals. Refined strategy: to show the creativity and the spiritual, artistic and cultural vitality of capitalist society against the greyness of the Soviet Union and its satellites. Strategy adopted in all directions. CIA support favored cultural journals like Encounter, Preuves and, in Italy, Tempo presents Silone and Chiaramonte. And less bourgeois art forms such as jazz, sometimes, and, precisely, abstract expressionism.
The facts go back to the 50s and 60s, when Pollock and the other representatives of the current did not have good press in the USA. To give an idea of the climate with regard to them, let us recall President Truman's joke: "If this is art, I am a hottentot". But the US government, recalls Jameson, was precisely during those years in the difficult position of having to promote the image of the American system and in particular of one of its foundations, the fifth amendment, the freedom of expression , seriously tarnished after the witch hunt led by Senator Joseph McCarthy, in the name of the fight against communism.
To do this, it was necessary to send to the world a strong and clear signal in the opposite direction to McCarthyism. And we charged the CIA, which, basically, would operate in all consistency. Paradoxically indeed, at that time the agency represented a "liberal" enclave in a world that turned decisively right. Led by agents and employees most often from the best universities, often themselves art collectors, figurative artists or writers, CIA officials represented the counterweight to the methods, bigoted conventions and anti-communist fury of the CIA. FBI and colleagues of Senator McCarthy.
"Abstract expressionism, I could say that it was precisely us at the CIA who invented it," said Donald Jameson today, quoted by the British newspaper The Independent [1] - after throwing an eye and seizing steal the New York novelties, in Soho. Jokes aside, we immediately saw the difference very clearly. Abstract expressionism was the ideal kind of art to show how rigid, stylized, stereotyped the rigorous socialist realism in Russia was. Thus we decided to act in this direction.
But Pollock, Motherwell, Kooning, and Rothko knew? "Of course not," Jameson said immediately, "the artists were not aware of our game. It should be excluded that people like Rothko or Pollock never knew they were being helped in the shadows by the CIA, which had an essential role in their launch and in the promotion of their works. And in the vertiginous increase of their earnings.
TAKEN FROM VOLTAIRE NETWORK 2010/11/24
Posted by Albert Bastarache at 09:14
L’historienne Frances Stonor Saunders, auteur de l’étude magistrale sur la CIA et la guerre froide culturelle, vient de publier dans la presse britannique de nouveaux détails sur le parrainage secret de la CIA pour l’expressionisme abstrait. La Repubblica s'interroge sur l'utilisation idéologique de cette tendance artistique.
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Jackson Pollock, Robert Motherwell, Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko. Rien de moins que facile et même scandaleux, les maîtres de l'expressionnisme abstrait. Un courant vraiment à contre-courant, une gifle aux certitudes de la société bourgeoise, qui avait néanmoins derrière elle le système lui-même. Parce que, pour la première fois, une rumeur circule depuis des années: la CIA a financé abondamment l'expressionnisme abstrait. But des services secrets américains: séduire les esprits des classes éloignées de la bourgeoisie pendant les années de la guerre froide. C’est précisément la CIA qui a organisé les premières grandes expositions de la Nouvelle peinture américaine, révélant les œuvres de l’expressionnisme abstrait dans toutes les grandes villes européennes: Art moderne aux États-Unis (1955) et Chefs d’œuvre du XXe siècle (1952).
Donald Jameson, ancien fonctionnaire de l'agence, est le premier à admettre que le soutien aux artistes expressionnistes faisait partie de la politique de la "longue laisse" pour les intellectuels. Stratégie raffinée: montrer la créativité et la vitalité spirituelle, artistique et culturelle de la société capitaliste contre la grisaille de l'Union soviétique et de ses satellites. Stratégie adoptée dans toutes les directions. Le soutien de la CIA a favorisé les revues culturelles telles que Encounter, Preuves et, en Italie, Tempo présente Silone et Chiaramonte. Et des formes d'art moins bourgeoises telles que le jazz, parfois, et précisément, l'expressionnisme abstrait.
Les faits remontent aux années 50 et 60, lorsque Pollock et les autres représentants du courant n’avaient pas bonne presse aux États-Unis. Pour donner une idée du climat qui les entoure, rappelons la blague du président Truman: "Si c'est de l'art, je suis un fou". Mais le gouvernement américain, se souvient Jameson, était précisément au cours de ces années dans la difficile situation de devoir promouvoir l'image du système américain et en particulier l'un de ses fondements, le cinquième amendement, la liberté d'expression, gravement ternie après la sorcière. chasse dirigée par le sénateur Joseph McCarthy, au nom de la lutte contre le communisme.
Pour ce faire, il était nécessaire d'envoyer au monde un signal fort et clair dans la direction opposée au maccarthysme. Et nous avons accusé la CIA, qui, fondamentalement, fonctionnerait de manière cohérente. Paradoxalement, à cette époque, l’agence représentait une enclave "libérale" dans un monde qui devenait décisif. Dirigés par des agents et des employés provenant le plus souvent des meilleures universités, souvent eux-mêmes collectionneurs d'art, artistes figuratifs ou écrivains, les responsables de la CIA constituaient le contrepoids aux méthodes, conventions fanatiques et fureur anticommuniste de la CIA. FBI et collègues du sénateur McCarthy.
"L'expressionnisme abstrait, je pourrais dire que c'est précisément nous, à la CIA, qui l'avons inventé", a déclaré aujourd'hui Donald Jameson, cité par le journal britannique The Independent [1] - après avoir lancé un œil et saisi les nouveautés new-yorkaises à Soho . Blague à part, nous avons tout de suite vu la différence très clairement. L'expressionnisme abstrait était le type d'art idéal pour montrer à quel point le réalisme socialiste rigoureux en Russie était rigide, stylisé et stéréotypé. Nous avons donc décidé d'agir dans cette direction.
Mais Pollock, Motherwell, Kooning et Rothko étaient au courant? "Bien sûr que non", dit immédiatement Jameson, "les artistes n'étaient pas au courant de notre jeu. Il faut exclure que des gens comme Rothko ou Pollock n'aient jamais su qu'ils étaient aidés dans l'ombre par la CIA, qui avait un rôle essentiel à jouer dans leur vie." lancement et dans la promotion de leurs œuvres et dans l’augmentation vertigineuse de leurs revenus.
PRIS DU RÉSEAU VOLTAIRE 2010/11/24
Publié par Albert Bastarache à 09:14
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