Visual Arts

"What do you think an artist is? He’s a political being, constantly alive to heartrending, fiery, or happy events, to which he responds in every way. No, painting is not done to decorate apartments. It is an instrument of war, for attack and defense against the enemy."

Pablo Picasso

Monday, 23 May 2016 09:43

Cultural beheading: art from Syrian refugees

Written by Amir Darwish

in Visual Arts

Since the start of war in Syria, politics has taken over discussion whenever the country’s name is mentioned. However, the Hikayetna project concentrates on the human side of the issue, focusing on the refugee crisis and victims' experiences and journeys to escape the conflict. This is an apolitical and independent…

Syria refugees

Tuesday, 17 May 2016 20:56

Journal review: Stalin - what does the name stand for?

Written by Andrew Warburton

in Visual Arts

Andrew Warburton reviews the Spring issue of the Marxist journal Crisis and Critique, which focuses on art, music and culture in the Soviet Union under Stalin. One sign of the enormity of Joseph Stalin’s influence on the international labour movement throughout the twentieth century is that intellectuals on the left…

crisis and critique stalin groys lih prokofiev

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Saturday, 14 May 2016 21:55

A protest against injustice: the art of Mona Hatoum

in Visual Arts

Written by Christine Lindey

Christine Lindey reviews an exhibiton by Mona Hatoum at Tate Modern, London. Mona Hatoum manages the rare feat of creating art about politics and the human condition without dry didacticism, but with barbed wit, elegance and subtlety. And has done so for over four decades. Born in Beirut in 1952…

Mona Hatoum tate modern

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Monday, 04 April 2016 20:05

A focus on political commitment: the photography of Paul Strand

in Visual Arts

Written by John Green

John Green reviews a new exhibition about the great American photographer Paul Strand, pointing to the 'mute, empathetic, visual rapport' that Strand achieves in his images. The socialist photographer Paul Strand (1890-1976) has long been neglected, although during his lifetime he was very influential on many budding photographers and other…

photography

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Monday, 14 March 2016 20:32

Walking on eggshells

in Visual Arts

Written by Anon

Walking on Eggshells - Anon, HMYOI Low Newton (female offenders). From the 2016 Koestler Award scheme for art made in prisons and secure hospitals.

prison art

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Monday, 14 March 2016 20:24

Because them's the rules

in Visual Arts

Written by Anon

'As part of a drawing project I had to draw a view from a window. Security allowed me to do this but I was not allowed to draw the wall. I decided to replace it with the lines to the outline of the wall, following the rules, but still getting…

Fish and Chips by the ADS 2015 and by Fred Laidler, 1948

Saturday, 05 March 2016 21:44

The Pitmen Painters and the Ashington District Star

Written by Michael Flynn and Julian Germain

in Visual Arts

Not all art is encased in gilt frames in galleries. An extraordinary arts collective has been developed in Ashington, Northumberland, where the Ashington Group - commonly known as the Pitmen Painters - worked in the 1930s. Michael Flynn and Julian Germain tell the story of how a remarkable photographic art…

Pitmen Painters community arts

Wednesday, 27 January 2016 13:40

A Comedy of Ideas: The Cartoons of Bob Starrett

Written by David Betteridge

in Visual Arts

David Betteridge introduces some of the cartoons of Bob Starrett, the official cartoonist of the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Work-in of 1971-2. When we look at Starrett’s cartoons, we may sometimes laugh Ha! ha! ha! in amusement at his portrayal of some silliness of human behaviour. We may sometimes laugh Ha!…

cartoon UCS workin

Thursday, 14 January 2016 17:15

Political Art

Written by Mina Boromand & Chris Bird

in Visual Arts

Mina and Chris create art and cartoons for 'The Morning Star' newspaper and trade union pubIications, hoping to connect political action to creativity and imagination. They have organised exhibitions and displays at the Marx Memorial Libraryand other left wing events such as the annual Red Star conference.Both are supporters of the…

political art

Image Gallery

View the embedded image gallery online at:
http://culturematters.org.uk/index.php/arts/visual-art?start=28#sigProId568a34feb1

Monday, 04 January 2016 21:45

Artist and Empire

Written by Mike Quille

in Visual Arts

Mike Quille explores the relations between art, politics and empire, in the current Artist and Empire exhibition at Tate Britain. Has there ever been a more successful engine of global exploitation than the British Empire? And has any other empire been better at reframing that exploitation as benevolent paternalism, moral…

artist empire cultural struggle