Description
Book SynopsisIn order to better understand the conditions of the twenty-first century, the authors revisit the 20th century in this work. They revisit some of the most significant periods in art and politics in the twentieth century paying close attention to the relationship between aesthetics and politics.
Trade ReviewDiscussing art as a function of politics, this book offers a fresh perspective on the place of art in our lives and our society. Writing in a direct and accessible manner, Sassower and Cicotelli bring clarity to a complex range of materials and philosophical positions. -- Adam J. Lerner, The Laboratory of Art and Ideas at Belmar
...instructors of art and their students will especially benefit from this thought-provoking and nuanced book. -- Anthony Birch, Gainesville, Georgia * Bridges *
In an important and ground-breaking analysis, Sassower and Cicotello dissect the social power of imagery, from art to propaganda. Now more than ever images shape and control our lives, and this book points in a new direction, perhaps toward a new discipline, for understanding them. From politics and economics to structures of the mind, the context and appeal of art is examined through a radical social/aesthetic approach. The right questions are asked—about interests, culture, beauty—and a deep reading of images emerges, a reading increasingly essential for our time. -- Will Wright, Colorado State University-Pueblo
Table of ContentsChapter 1 The Artistic Predicament of Ideological Complicity Chapter 2 The Visual Framing of Fascism and Democracy Chapter 3 The Universal Faces of Art Chapter 4 The Pedagogical Predicament
