Mid or Post Modern Blog

 The Vietnam War started in 1955 and ended in 1975, it was a long and costly war; over three million people were killed in this, half of which were Vietnamese civilians. This war divided the Americans, and in 1973 President Nixon called for a withdrawal of US forces. The art work from this time reflects the terrible times these people had to go through. 

Q. And babies? A. And babies?                        American People Series #20: Die 1967

 Faith Ringgold. American People Series #20: Die. 1967. Oil on canvas, two panels, 72 × 144″ (182.9 × 365.8 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Purchase; and gift of the Modern Women's Fund. © 2016 Faith Ringgold/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

The first artwork has many artists incorporated into it. Frazer Dougherty, Jon Hendricks, and Irving Petlin were in a group called Art Workers' Coalition(AWC); these group members exposed the atrocities committed by U.S. soldiers. They were the ones who designed the "Q. And babies? A. And babies?" poster, the person who took the picture is Ron Haeberle. The back story behind this poster came from a soldier who actually took part in the terrible act, Paul Meadlo. 

The second picture here was also put together by the AWC, but it was created by Faith Ringgold. This painting shows an interracial group of men women and children and that no one is free from the struggle. Faith incorporates U.S. race relations into her art to demonstrate what is happening in the world around us. She led a black coalition with the AWC and staged demonstrations/meetings to further their cause. The art works the AWC involve themselves with are typically exposing the atrocities and injustices in our world. The colors in these paintings are completely different, but both equally important. The left picture is not as vibrant, and I feel shows more emotion.

Vietnam II                                                                The Fighter

Leon Golub’s “Vietnam II,” 1973, at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. 

Leon Golub created Vietnam II in 1973, The Fighter in 1965. The lines he used in these are fantastic, especially in The Fighter. I think the lines in that painting are the most important aspect of it. Vietnam II has a clear connection to the Vietnam War. It is three meters high and twelve meters long, it is Golub's largest piece. The Fighter may not have a direct relation to the Vietnam War, but I feel like it certainly does relate. The Fighter is of a man with his arm raised, and when I look at it I see a man standing tall fighting for what he believes in. 

Attack at Twilight                                               Swamp Patrol 

"Attack at Twilight" by Roger Blum 

These paintings were done by Robert Blum in 1966. These pictures have very different colors, lines, but have the same influence and the same painter. The Attack at Twilight has fewer lines than Swamp Patrol, and the colors of the two are opposites but they both show an immense amount of emotion. They both take place at the same time and in Vietnam, the only difference is the exact location. In general, all art from any war feels emotional to me. 


Works Cited


https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/q-and-babies-and-babies-111524

https://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/vietnam-war-history

https://laststandonzombieisland.com/2016/02/28/combat-gallery-sunday-the-vietnam-combat-artists-program/swamp-patrol-roger-blum-1966-vietnam-combat-art-project/

https://www.moma.org/explore/inside_out/2016/07/29/from-the-archives-faith-ringgold-the-art-workers-coalition-and-the-fight-for-inclusion-at-the-museum-of-modern-art/

https://roanoke.com/arts_and_entertainment/arts/art-from-vietnam-honoring-sacrifices-in-a-controversial-war/article_4568a4c1-61d8-5a5a-90c9-436d03b6a4f9.html

hthttps://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/golub-fighter-p77249

tps://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/golub-vietnam-ii-t13702



Comments

  1. Eric's BlogNovember 22, 2021 at 1:38 PM

    Hey Haley,
    These pieces you chose really encapsulate the feelings that the American public felt towards Vietnam, a war which dragged on seemingly forever to those who were there. I used to work at coffee place were a group of Vietnam veterans would gather from time to time, they were regulars and we all sort of became acquainted and they even told some stories. One of them was accidentally exposed to Agent Orange, just to name one off the top of my head. Its pieces like that which remind me that art is something which people use to express not just good, but those moments in time when everything just seems lost and disheartening.

    ReplyDelete

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