Counter Culture: Art as a political messenger

There have been artists through all ages that communicate political and moral messages through their art. The post modern era has put this element right in the centre of the movement.


The following link is an interesting selection of pieces of art that carry a predominantly political message.
https://www.widewalls.ch/political-art/



Dmitri Vrubel - The Kiss from 1990
"The world famous graffiti at the Berlin wall, originally named My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love, but also known as The Kiss, The Kiss of Death or the Fraternal Kiss is depiction of a historical kiss between Leonid Brezhnev and Erich Honecker at the ceremony of the foundation of the German Democratic Republic. It is interesting that the graffiti was created by Dmitri Vrubel in 1990s after the Berlin wall was down and it reflecting the continuation of the politics from the cold war era in the time of changes."



The writer uses a term called socially and politically engaged art as a separate motivation to propaganda. When considering the place and role of art in a political world, the writer also says: "But when disputing politically engaged art we must not forget that art is not and could not be the mere means of political action nor reduced to this specific function; although it could be an active part of activist practice."

"The role of political art has always been crucial since it is one of rare uncorrupted forces of emancipatory actionand battlefield of the crucial dispute what is and what could be beauty, truth, and the good."

Political art can provoke conversation and debate, drawing attention to an issue. It can be a fascilitator, a catalyst.