Art and Dissent: How Art Reflects American Politics and Decisions

Art. One of the most popular forms of expression that has existed since the advent of time, where humans have found an influential avenue to showcase opinions. Over the course of time, there have been numerous world events in which history has recorded opinions that survived in the form of art. Since the Declaration of Independence over two centuries ago, the American civilization relates to a number of art pieces that reflect the execution of decisions and their impact on American society and the world at large. This essay discusses three of the prominent artworks – Guernica by Pablo Picasso, Wadsworth Jarrell's "Revolutionary (Angela Davis), and Ben Shahn's "The Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti" - and suggests a relationship between the policies of the American government and the outlook of society over time.

As a society grows, it has certain situations and decisions that shape the legislature and policies over time. America, a country based upon a secular constitution, derives its understanding from fulfilling social contracts according to Lockean principles. In that instance, it learns from experiences and errors of human understanding and decisions.

Guernica, a painting by Pablo Picasso, reflects the adverse effects of war on society and trauma it carries. Guernica was a small Spanish town in southern Spain during the Spanish Civil War. The Nationalist Faction - a significant player in the civil war along with its allies, including the notorious German Nazis and Italian Fascist Legionary Airforce, carried out an aerial bombing on the town. The raid's goal was to destroy roads and bridges because Republican forces were using the town as a communications hub just behind the battle line. The operation was one of the first aerial bombings that attracted international attention due to the cruel nature of a military air force bombing unarmed civilians. Hundreds of innocent civilians died as a result of this operation. The incident intrigued Pablo Picasso, the legendary artist who had been commissioned a work to display at the Paris International Exposition by the Republican government, to adapt the horrors and reflection of the massacre in his beautiful yet sorrowful strokes of paintbrushes (Guernica-Wikipedia). Such was his purpose to present forward the expression of trauma and injustice to make the viewers feel pain with their very own eyes. Doing so he actively led an everlasting anti-war memorial for the world to relate to as it goes ahead remembering the horrors of the past.

According to Robinson, Picasso masterfully embedded multiple prominent features within the painting that offer the viewer room for interpretation of the horrors of war. The most prominent feature that is present all over the painting is his choice of using Cubism with a monotone color palette– A style of art to represent chaos and disorientation that takes place in the event of a conflict, where the black and grayscale shades are used to represent sadness and anger prevailing in the setting.

The top left side of the painting shows a horse that is growling in immense pain due to a disemboweling wound. The howling of the horse represents the pain the Spanish people had to go through due to the horrors of the Civil War (Robinson). Essentially, the painting doesn’t restrict the meaning to any specific nationality such that every nation that’s been through a war faces the disastrous effects of it, and the prolonging pain of losing one’s home, loved ones, and life.

The bull on the left represents the resilience of the Spanish people against the agonizers and antagonists (Robinson). Bulls have long been used as a representation of strength and resilience and this particular painting represents the resilience of the victim against the oppressors. Even after being the victim of immense violence from the side of antagonists, the victims hardly lose their hope and resilience and continue to fight oppression, whether it be the town of Guernica facing violence at the hands of the Nationalist Faction, or Palestinians facing the apartheid regime of Israel, none of them lose their resilience and strength.

Picasso rendered some representations of human suffering in its true reality. A mother can be seen screaming while she holds her dead baby in her arms, her head rolled back, and her eyes towards the sky, looking at the heavens in agony (Robinson). This has to do with the representation of the loss of mothers, who had to go through the pain of seeing their children die, but also with the notion that the element of human life is essentially harmed in and of itself in the dreadful events of war and conflict. Wars have been essentially the cause of the abnormal number of deaths over the span of history, which has scarcely decreased the populations of some communities, if not wiped the whole communities off the face of the world. Another part of the painting refers to a brutally mutilated soldier who has been killed during the warfare. The painting shows an arm that’s been cut off from the soldier holding a sword with a broken blade. The gory representation of this image is to convey to the viewer the element of heroism while futile attempts of the people who fight against oppression and injustice (Robinson). In events of war and conflict, the people fighting to preserve their community sacrifice their lives just so that the other people in the community can live safely and do not have to compromise on freedom and the right to life. The mutilation of the soldier represents the defeat of the soldier against the fight of life and death while the broken blade represents the defeat after the heroic attempts against the aggressors as to how the Nationalist Faction got control of northern Spain by conducting aerial bombing on the town of Guernica. (Robinson).

“The Cost of War” is a suitable subtitle for the Guernica painting by Picasso as it rightfully demonstrates the aftereffects and damage associated with it. The landscape painting Guernica presents forward the notion to those interested in war, about the consequences of it. The consequences are drastic enough to take the precious lives of innocent women, children, and men. For this reason, the Guernica is presented in the United Nations every single time any country presents the idea of announcing a conflict, in remembrance of those who’ve lost their lives to these bloody feuds and to save those who potentially will if the war is conducted.

However, a little of it is taken into consideration by the people who have the power and the authority to conduct warfare especially when it comes to the decisions taken by the authority in the United States. It is a general notion that all entities work based on Realpolitik i.e., every entity creates “a system of politics or principles based on practical rather than moral or ideological considerations.” (Oxford Reference). Such a system offers no moral guidelines but rather inherently works on increasing benefit to the entity regardless of the harm to the opposition. In a rather sad state of affairs, Realpolitik remains heavily relevant in the decisions associated with the Executive of the United States, as political scientists analyze and acclaim governmental decisions to be “selfish” and “inhumane”. That’s because the decisions are only subjectively inhumane, for the perpetrators reap the full benefits of those decisions and the victims pay the heaviest price.

According to an article by Dr Gideon Polya, the United States government has announced and conducted multiple wars like the US invasion of Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Nicaragua, and other Spanish-speaking regions of America, Iran, Iraq, World War 1 and 2, etc. that helped either the state itself directly or indirectly benefited background sponsors of the war. Some of the benefits that the United States government directly gained from international military intervention and conflicts were heavily linked to the establishment of US friendly puppet democratic government that agreed to push secular and liberal ethics down the throat of the majority of the local population such as establishment of governments in the Spanish-speaking American region, regime change operation of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, the establishment of democratic government in Afghanistan, Libya and so much more (Polya). The establishment of these governments helped the United States government expand its influence over the globe and allow access to the local military bases which ultimately made military disposal against its archnemesis like China and Russia easier. The United States government in multiple tenures has seen ideologies alien to those of secular and liberal models as a threat to its benefit and influence over the world. To tackle the Islamic and communist ideologies and to make sure that US-friendly policies prevail throughout the world. The United States government resorted to military means and intervention, even resorting to baseless lies to justify their military invasion and breach of sovereignty (Polya). This form of expanding influence, though successfully accomplished with the establishment of a US-friendly government over nearly all the countries, came at a much higher price of collateral damage in the form of human lives and destruction of community.

The casualties the United States government directly or indirectly caused due to the wars and conflict since 1945 count to millions of deaths of human individuals, most of them practically innocent civilians going through the same grief and horror as painted by Pablo Picasso in Guernica, as James Bacque quotes in his book about the figures of democide by the American government against Germans: "undoubtedly . . . over 800,000, almost certainly over 900,000, and quite likely over a million died." (Bacque, p.2). As far as the figures go for post 9/11 wars waged by the US, the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University, suggests in their program: “Costs of War” the figure to be around 4.5-4.7 direct war deaths caused by US military (Savell, pg. 4).

These international military interventions have been the trend of the United States policy ever since it emerged as an independent power on the world map. The tug-of-war continues on an international scale, with corporations fueling the war, politicians announcing them, and the public paying the price. For, it may be the victims of the bullets and bombs paying the price in their blood, but it’s the citizens of the United States who pay the price in terms of poverty, debts, inaccessible medical care, inflation, and heavy taxation.

According to an article by the National Gallery of Arts, Ben Shahn's "The Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti" is a remarkable depiction of the blatant miscarriage of justice that exists in the American judicial system. Ben Shahn was one of the leading social realists of the twentieth century, Ben Shahn protests against discrimination and injustice through his work. His prints and paintings tackle social and political themes, emphasizing the impoverished and marginalized people he empathetically depicts (NGA). He is known to have famously said, “I hate injustice. I guess that’s about the only thing I really do hate.” (Kuykendall).

The trial of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti caught Shahn’s attention and activism. Both men were wrongfully accused of first-degree murder and taking part in a robbery, the decision of which is said to be extremely unfair and prejudiced, filled with xenophobia and injustice. Both Sacco and Vanzetti were subject to a terrible attempt by the judicial and law enforcement system to use immigrants as a scapegoat to exercise hate and prejudice. The ongoing tension of World War 2 had brought extreme polarization within the public, where the locals started hating the immigrants who belonged to the countries taking part in the war. This had adverse effects on the ruling of the jury and the judges who sentenced these innocent individuals to death despite having heaps of contradictory evidence.

The case brought international attention and was analyzed extensively. After reviewing the case, Felix Frankfurter—who would go on to become a justice on the Supreme Court—contended that the prosecutor and judge had catered to the jury's preconceptions and that there was insufficient evidence to warrant the verdict (CRF-USA). Shahn masterfully expressed his dissent with the injustice in the form of a series of artistical masterpieces, widely appreciated in the law and arts community. The painting depicts both of the men handcuffed together, Shahn’s paintbrushes took inspiration from the pictures in daily newspapers in order to relate to the gravity of the subject and make the viewer realize that about the realistic aspect of it. The poetry under, the painting expresses that both of them would’ve died unknown, as ordinary poor immigrants striving hard to make a living every day. But this event has given them a purpose and identity, exalted them from the mere status of a shoemaker and fisherman to a symbol and drive for justice, for their example would be used to impact the framework of justice and tolerance within the society. That their pain and suffering aren’t in vain but a triumph for them, for they will most certainly bring about a discourse that would help society at large. Undoubtedly, this event created a massive discourse in American society where activists pressured the government to tackle the xenophobia instilled during the time of war.

Wadsworth Jarrell's "Revolutionary (Angela Davis)" is a tribute to renowned American political activist, scholar, and writer Angela Davis, who was involved in both the Black Panther Party and the Communist Party. Davis is regarded as one of the most crucial actors who fought the civil rights movement, capitalistic monopoly, and racism within the American public.

Racism is a problem that still haunts the structures of American society to this date. Being highly educated with the provision of an avenue in education, Davis voiced out her activism against the prevalent racism against the black community in America. She believed racism and capitalism to be the roots of societal injustices as “…[racism] is deeply embedded in the very fabric of this country—its economy, its political structures, and all the institutions which form the basis of this society…” (WAMS). Being at the face front of activism subjected her to multiple repercussions from the government of the United States, which landed her in hot waters multiple times, specifically during the case of Soledad Brothers due to which she had to go into hiding, eventually being arrested by the FBI and being jailed for 18 months.

It was at this time, during the protests and activism for the release of Davis that Jarrell painted the “Revolutionary”, a visual artifact that would become an identity of activism against racism and injustice. The artwork traces an image of Davis from a newspaper and turns it into an artistical masterpiece as Davis is portrayed with the vocabulary of activism. Words and phrases like “Black”, “I have given my life to the struggle”, “Revolution”, “Resist”, “BBBBeautiful”, and much more. These reflect the sheer determination of Davis in the face of adversity and her struggle against the corrupt and malevolent system.

Art pieces like “Revolutionary” provide the notion that the correction and alleviation of societal injustices don’t exist in a vacuum, but there are personalities like Angela Davis who have dedicated their lives to fighting oppression and injustice, in order to make America a comfortable home for themselves.

The above-mentioned expressions in terms of art reflect the constituents of a societal transition and journey of America toward solution and betterment. The policies of the American government are far from perfect, lacking in multiple aspects. The discussed artworks provide the notion that it’s the people who have the power to correct the policies of their government. Whether it be Davis or Shahn, people have always made their efforts to curtail the negative positions of the elected government, and in a country that adheres to democracy, public opinion and activism is the best way to cater to societal vices.  

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📚 References:

• Dr. Lara Kuykendall, "Ben Shahn, The Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti," in Smarthistory, November 28, 2015, accessed November 6, 2023, https://smarthistory.org/ben-shahn-the-passion-of-sacco-and-vanzetti/. • Wikipedia contributors, "Sacco and Vanzetti," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sacco_and_Vanzetti&oldid=1183701989 (accessed November 7, 2023). • Lynn Robinson, "Pablo Picasso, Guernica," in Smarthistory, August 9, 2015, accessed November 6, 2023, https://smarthistory.org/picasso-guernica/. • Wikipedia contributors, "Guernica (Picasso)," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Guernica_(Picasso)&oldid=1183867512 (accessed November 7, 2023). • National Gallery of Art, “Ben Shahn”, https://www.nga.gov/collection/artist-info.3030.html • Constitutional Rights Foundation, “BRIA 23 2 a Sacco and Vanzetti: Were Two Innocent Men Executed”, in “Bill of Rights in Action”, Summer 2007 (Volume 23, No. 2) https://www.crf-usa.org/bill-of-rights-in-action/bria-23-2-a-sacco-and-vanzetti-were-two-innocent-men-executed • Jessica Ford, “Revolutionary Angela Davis by Wadsworth Jarrell” in Brooklyn Museum Tumbler, https://brooklynmuseum.tumblr.com/post/158775372156/revolutionary-angela-davis-by-wadsworth-jarrell • Wikipedia contributors, "Angela Davis," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Angela_Davis&oldid=1183032158 (accessed November 7, 2023). • “Angela Davis” in National Museum of African American History and Culture, https://nmaahc.si.edu/angela-davis • “Life Story: Angela Davis (1944 - )”, in Women & The American Story https://wams.nyhistory.org/growth-and-turmoil/feminism-and-the-backlash/angela-davis/ • "realpolitik." Oxford Reference. ; Accessed 7 Nov. 2023. https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100407150. • James Bacque, “Other Losses”, pg. 2 • Stephanie Savell, “How Death Outlives War” in Costs of War, Brown University. • Dr Gideon Polya, “The US Has Invaded 70 Nations Since 1776 – Make 4 July Independence From America Day”, in CounterCurrents.org, July 2013, https://countercurrents.org/polya050713.htm