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Entries in Willem De Kooning (1)

Wednesday
Aug082012

Modern Art Was Cia 'Weapon'

DateWednesday, August 8, 2012 at 11:22AM

Brois Kustodiev (click photo for larger image)The following link will take you to an older--but nonetheless interesting--article, on the CIA’s use of artists’ works as propaganda, during the Cold War:

“The Central Intelligence Agency used American modern art - including the works of such artists as Jackson Pollock, Robert Motherwell, Willem de Kooning and Mark Rothko - as a weapon in the Cold War. In the manner of a Renaissance prince - except that it acted secretly - the CIA fostered and promoted American Abstract Expressionist painting around the world for more than 20 years...."

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Considering that the general American public was not particlarly interested in modern art (or the work of the postmodernists noted above), the choice, on the part of the CIA, to use them actually demonstrates a certain sensitivity to the work that hadn’t yet been instilled in the population at large, in this country. Abstract Expressionism was certainly different from Soviet art. A documentary was released in 1995 that focused on this topic. The title is “Hidden Hands: Painting with the Enemy” and it’s listed on the IMDB. But, I haven’t been able to locate it. Maybe you’ll have better luck!

Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin (click photo for larger image)

(click photo for larger image)(click photo for larger image)

AuthorJill | CommentPost a Comment | Reference3 References |