A friend of mine asked me a question over something I simply could not answer: What was World War II's effect on art? As in technology, styles, etc. Thanks for your time.


Sincerely,
Stumped in Indiana

Hi-

one of the effects on art was that European artists fleeing fascism went to America taking concepts of abstraction, dada, surrealism, cubism etc which got mixed with American ideas. It first emerged as Abstract Expressionism, which was very non-figurative and cerebral in it's concept.
I think that post-WW2 art was more a reflection of society, it's move towards consumerism, the pop explosion, beat happenings, sixties' psychedelia etc etc, all of which were no doubt facilitated by the war- especially in Britain where there was growing self-awareness amongst the working class, increased affluence and aspirations; social barriers were beginning to be eroded and so forth. European art post WW2 was largely influenced by the American schools.
That's about all I can offer on the subject Hope it helps.
MC

The affect of the Nazis on European Art was huge. The Dada movement and the Expressionist movement which had been strong in Germany in the twenties and early thirties were repressed by the Nazis as Hitler began closing art schools in 1933. The Nazis displayed the Dadaist, Cubist, Impressionist and Expressionist art in huge "Degenerate art exhibitions" to let people know what was not acceptable as art.
One of the most influential postwar European artists was Joseph Beuys who had been a Stuka Pilot in The Luftwaffe.
I have aklso read somewhere that the American Government and the CIA promoted American Art as part of the cold war. Social Realism became the only officially accepted art in the Eastern Bloc and was used to glorify the achievements of Communism whereas in the west Abstract art was promoted as representing the freedom of expression that the west stood for.

in architecture and furniture design..BAUHAUS was the front runner of german and modern architecture in europe..closed down by the nazi in the late '30s..and scattered all over the globe. you can check some sites about bauhaus and see their designs still admired by younger generations.

Have a look at Jackson Pollacks work post 45.

This is generally true. The post-war abstract expressionism and 'action painting' styles pioneered by artists such as Jackson Pollock were seen as strong counterpoints to the communist sponsored realist styles of eastern Europe.

I asked the question to a friend who's an artist here in Australia, while visting him in hospital, he said he would explain it better when he got out, and could show me what he was talking about, Jackson Pollack he said could be see as the "father" of the style, I can't remeber what he called it.

It's called 'abstract expressionism'. And that's Pollock, not Pollack.

Only on Armorama,a military modelling website could we get a thread like this,congrats to you all
Arthur