Political Theme in Visual Art - Essay Example

Political Theme in Visual Art Name: Unit: Course: Supervisor: Date of submission: Introduction For many years, artists have used art as an agency that serves as a tool for dissemination of knowledge. The social, political and cultural issues that have befallen the society have driven the creative practice to come up with visual imagery that serves to capture the underlying happenings in the society. According to Kelly (2003), the visual arts can be used to point to the metaphoric truth and act as a reference to injustice, in so doing visual art helps in raising awareness on effects of political happenings. Artists make use of images that are moving to convey a deep message. This paper analyses the political themes exhibited in the Nicole Eisenman the ‘Triumph of Poverty 2009’. Nicole Eisenman is a contemporary artist borne in 1965 in Verdun, France; he lives in and works in the United States of America, in New York City (Tanner, 2013). Description of the visual art The Triumph of Poverty (2009) is a depiction of the current sufferings that many citizens of different countries have found themselves. Even though art analysts have confined the analysis of the Eisenman work to United States of America political landscape, the disenchantment portrayed in the painting relate to many countries political journey of both despair and hope that has characterised the political leadership and the current turbulent political scenes both in USA and outside (Sillman, 2012). See the painting below The Triumph of Poverty, 2009 Oil on canvas Source: Sillman 2012 The Triumph of Poverty 2009 is a representation of the many families that are distressed. The people walking on foot portray poverty in the masterpiece. Being on foot is symbolism of despair; however, the people seem to be walking to undisclosed destination that could point to the hope of the citizens finding a bright future in another political dispensation. The automobile the families are walking alongside is imagery of political orientation that points to some glimpse of hope. The depiction of the political theme and the poverty is exhibited by the person who is grim faced, has no trousers but still in shirt and black hat (Tanner, 2013). These images in Eisenman’s paintings of the Triumph of Poverty (2009) bring a sense of disenchantment and contemplation in the society. It brings a sense of both personal and the political environment in the various countries that have definitely affected the human condition. Her painting of the Triumph of Poverty is influenced expressionism movement from German. The political theme being communicated The visual arts are important in the depiction of the metaphoric state of things in the society. The abstract expressionist artist’s capitalise on the happenings in the society and they use image that are very touching to convey deep message (Kelly, 2003). A closer look at the triumph of poverty, the art represents a political journey that has not been for the people but still there is a hope that has to keep the people walking towards uncertain direction despite of the upheavals in the contemporary society. Eisenman communicates the meaning by use of the symbols such as the car, the people on foot and the old car which are used to advance the political theme marked by socio-economic theme. These aspects are depicted by the people on foot, evidently not in the car, and being led by a person who seems to be hopeless and lacks sense of direction. When addressing social, political and cultural issues, interpretive strategies through the use of visuals is imperative to in form and at the same time to motivate the viewer to think deeper and hence conceptualize the meaning (Mirzoeff, 1999). This is depicted by the contemporary representation of the group of characters that are walking in a bare ravaged land, a representation of the depletion of resources leaving the characters with no hope. Despite of the people being on bare land, at the background there is green land, with good houses that is clearly shown by use of colour variation to create contrast. This contrast could be used to point to the political divisions that exist between the political elites and the citizens who have no hope. The political destitution is also marked by images of the people who have downtrodden expressions. For instance, a man who has turned the pockets outside points to the poverty and the fact that most political leaderships have enriched some elites and left citizens’ with nothing to show. This brings out the theme of extreme sorrow, which is exemplified by the car which seems to be only hope but still it is rusty. In the image, Eisenman uses rich colour that clearly depicts the themes of the personal desperation and the political disenchantment in the society that has left the people with no sense of direction. For instance, the male figure with suit and black hat has the trousers fallen which reveals disposition of the of backwards which brings an imagery of confusion and lack of the right direction even though this male figure seems to be the ultimate leader of the people and the rats. The bottom right of the painting is a group of people following the string that is held by the suited person and with a fallen trouser. Notably, one of the people is already fallen and being dragged on the ground behind the rats, this points to people stumbling upon each other which again points to lack of direction and leadership which is not visionary. According to Eisenman, the lack of the visionary political leadership results to poor decision that impact on the economic situations of the society such as the recession experienced in 2008 in America (Sillman, 2012). Eisenman uses various colour schemes, objects to bring out contrast that helps to communicate the message of the poverty in the society and its link to the politics. The use of the different tools provide visual link that reinforces the individual issues and their connection to the broader political happenings. This painting thus brings out the meaning and semiotics embedded in the painting to raise the awareness of the political landscape and consequences that afflict the society due to poor political decisions. Despite of the pathos caused by the political issues, people have to keep hopes alive and continue pushing forward for the better political dispensation. This array of hope is presented by Eisenman by depiction of the people still trying to walk ahead not having clear direction (Tanner, 2013). Comparison with visual arts by Eisenman Over he last two decades, Nicole Eisenman has shown creativity and vision of versatility that combines the individual experience and links it to the broader societal perspective. This ensures that her work gives an incisive sociopolitical criticism by satirically depicting the human experience. Another Eisenman masterpiece is the Beer Garden with Ash (2009) that still points to despair just as the triumph of poverty. One key similarity between the two masterpieces is the liberal use of color to depict the expression of the people. These paintings shows people drinking but instead of the happy and partying mood that is the usual characterization of beer drinking and good life, the expression of the people is despair and worry (Simmons, 2012). Just as the Triumph of Poverty 2009, this painting point to people with no hope and surrounded by many uncertainties. A fence encloses the people a depiction of the boundary that the people still have to cross to after the party to the real cold world that exists outside the refuge. The political theme that she tries to bring out here is that of the people enslaved in their own leadership but fears to explore alternatives outside. In the painting, the expressionism is expressed through figures that bring out the abstract figuration. Unlike in the Triumph of Poverty 2009, she does not use colour as a basis of creating contrast, instead she uses colour to act as delineator that hold the people together in a common boundary (see the painting below). Beer Garden with Ash, 2009 Nicole Eisenman Oil on canvas 65 x 82 in (165.1 x 208.3 cm) Source: Sillman 2012 Conclusion The use of imagery is a strategy that artists use to uncover the happenings in the society. Art is an agency of creation of awareness. . It draws the different themes that happen in the society and directly affect the human beings. Nicole Eisenman’s paintings are representation of the personal experiences in a society that political decisions directly affect the individual wellbeing. Eisenman was greatly influenced by the German expressionism genre of art, she thus uses rich colour schemes to depict the societal experiences in a satirical manner but yet very rich in meaning. Thus, she captures the role of the political decisions and the enslavement of people by abiding by the decisions though not happy. Eisenman integrates the subject matter of political theme by forging of the happenings in present and develops the humorous way to access the audience and reveal the socio-political issues. The visual art of Eisenman has been able to express the different individual experiences and their connect to the social/political influences. References Kelly, W. (2003). Art and Humanist Ideals: Contemporary Perspectives, Macmillan Publishers. Mirzoeff, N. (1999). An Introduction to Visual Culture. New York: Routledge, Sillman, A. (2012). How to Look at Nicole Eisenman: Selected Works: 1994-2012. New York City: Leo Koenig. Simmons, W. (2012). Queered In Every Sense of the Word. Tuesday Magazine, pp.26-31. Turner, C. (2003). Artists and Human Rights: Witnessing to Silence, http://www.anu.edu.au/hrc/research/WtoS/Turner.pdf Accessed 2.02.2007 Tanner, C. (2013). Inspired appropriation redux: Nicole Eisenman. Berkeley. CA: Independent News Site, 8th July. Available at, http://www.berkeleysie.com/2013/07/08inspired-appropriation-redux-nocole-eisenman-in-berkeley-2/ Read More