Is Propaganda Art Actually Effective?

I want you. I want you, as consumers of artistic vision, to discern the increasingly blurred line between political art and propaganda. For years, the arts have been utilized as a tool for expressing political ideologies all across the globe. The reason being that the fusion of art and politics is a form of visual communication, aimed at stirring up emotions with often biased information. But are they really that effective? In this article we’ll examine instances of propaganda throughout history.

Pablo Picasso: 1937 “Guernica”

Picasso had painted the Guernica following the bombing of an Italian neighboring town to. It has become a symbol of anti-war, displaying its tragedies using innocent civilians as the focal point.

Dimitri Moor: 1919 “Death to World Imperialism”

This poster is a piece of Soviet propaganda. It shows a group of civilians fighting a serpent which has coiled itself around the city. In the dragon’s eyes are reflecting the crowds attacking it, dark figures and red flag’s death. This effectively illustrates the Bolshevik propaganda message that through the unification of an opposing workforce, capitalism can be defeated.

Elizabeth Maggie: 1904 “The Landlord’s Game”

This piece depicts the original monopoly board. This game was based upon the exploitation of the poor by the rich. In this version of the game, the property names and the “Pass Go, Collect 200$” were altered.

Propaganda art has taken many forms over the years. Some of the earliest examples being Mesopotamian carvings showcasing battle victories in 2250 BC. However, propaganda art has gradually began to be associated to totalitarian regimes, such as Hitler and Stalin. During these regimes, there was a great emphasis on the importance of aligning the government’s agenda with the personal lives of its citizens. It was so important that Hitler dedicated two whole chapters of his book “Mein Kampf” to it. Later examples of the use political art have been used during the Chinese civil war in 1966 and during the American Revolution of 1775. A more recent example would be during the Hong Kong protests, where a key theme of the protests has been the ability to “be water” symbolizing adaptability and fluidity. So I would say yes, propaganda art is an effective form of emotional communication, aimed at altering the psyche of the its target audience.

Hollow wooden box covered by a collage of shell, red limestone and lapis lazuli, and can be traced back to the earliest Dynasties of Ur. Approximately 4 600 Years Old

Visual imagery has always been used to convey idealistic messages. During the Russian Revolution, visual imagery was crucial for spreading the message to the illiterate working class. Propaganda art has undoubtedly served political agendas and has proven to be extremely effective through utilizing striking imagery and simple slogans.

Ultimately, propaganda art impacts millions because of, or in spite of, its intent, agenda, and creativity. As powerful these pieces are, they are tinted with a bitter aftertaste in our post-truth era. With every famed piece comes an intricate backstory - what counts is not the effect of the art but the effect of the agenda, perhaps the most relevant backstory of all art.