Dear Friends,
I'm having a moral dilemma and want to hear your opinion. Many of you know that I collect war propaganda posters. It all started when I was 15 and visited the American History Smithsonian and saw this "We Can Do It" poster. I bought the poster and it has hung in every room I've had since - my bedroom at home, my college bedroom, and it hangs in my classroom. I have since collected about 12 or so other propaganda posters - "I want YOU for the U.S. Navy," "Keep Mum, She's Not So Dumb," "Loose Lips Sink Ships," and the like. I even have posters from Nazi Germany and German-occupied France that I found in antique stores in London. My best friend, Amber, just went to Asia where she added to my collection by buying me some prints of posters from Communist Vietnam. The translations are on the back. One notes how many American planes the Vietnamese military shot down and the other one just promotes the Vietnamese Communist party. Artistically, both of the posters are very cool. The message they send, however, is not very (U.S.) patriotic. They are both very delicate and need to be framed.
So, here's my question. Should I hang my war propaganda posters??? I have all of these war propaganda posters, but I am generally a pacifist. I appreciate the posters because of the cultural aspects they represent from wartime. I also really like vintage graphic art (the framed art in my home attests to this). By framing and hanging my posters am I promoting something I don't actually believe in or am I only commenting on my appreciation of the art itself? Is it, or should it be, art for the sake of art (that's the translation from Latin of the title of this post)? Is it art for the sake of "historical art?" I was thinking about my posters and how I would NEVER frame or hang my Nazi war propaganda. But then, aren't Nazi Germany and Communist Vietnam on the same level? Well, maybe not. I might disagree with that, but I certainly do not support Communist Vietnam or its policies for the last five decades.
Anyway, so that's it. Artistically and culturally, I think war propaganda is fascinating. Symbolically, however, I do not support it. Do I hang it?
10 comments:
HANG IT, HANG IT, HAAAAAAAAAAANG IT!
Hang it. Just because you want to look at something repeatedly does not mean you support it. A lot of people collect things from Nazy Germany and that doesn't make them Nazis.
I appreciate your pause before just hastily (is that a word?) putting it up. But I think it's not that big of a deal.
And if you end up hanging it, post some photos.
(Congrats on your new job, by the way!)
I always got ALL of my war prop. posters out when we were doing WW2, but I didn't keep them out all year. Mine, however, were not fancy framed anything--just cheapo laminated pictures. I liked rotating my displays because it kept my room interesting. If it is such a debate for you, save it to get out for your WW2 unit, then leave out the ones you really love and put the rest away until next year.
People hang art for both reasons - though I usually hang it because I like it...it's like music...when i hear a good beat my body just moves...until ben tells me what the words are saying...i didn't pay too much attention to the message...and ps..just to show how lame I am..i never thought it as a message..i just thought you like the old posters...
ps...can you please ask matt to write me instructions on how to glue your posters on his wood frames?
i think you can hang the posters just for the sake of 'art,' and that you like them. i don't think it necessarily reflects your beliefs. i also think that you can hang some art to reflect your ideas...it doesn't have to be one way or the other. you can display some art simply because you appreciate it, and others to make a statement. either way, it probably makes for great conversation and lively debate at times.
As long as you don't plan on having any Nazi Germans or Vietnamese Communists visit your classroom any time soon, I don't think anyone will be offended. That may sound extreme, but my roomie had some communist propaganda in her office where she advises transfer students and had three young Russians visit in one day. None of them made any sign of being offended or that they even noticed it, but it was a funny experience for her, albeit one I doubt you'll encounter.
Definitely hang them. If all else fails, they are great conversation starters.
Chelsey
So what did you decide? I love reading your blog! Any Chicago updates you want to post??? :)
--Janelle
I say if you decide to put it up, either argument would be valid, but it you put them, try to balance it. For example, find photos of Vietnam era posters, or photos of the era, there are many available. I personally like photos of the UH-1 Huey Helicopters.
Heath Blanton
You gotta make Matt take an internship in New York. It would be so much fun to hang out! Do it!!
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