Following World War II, the conquering USA experienced a decade of success and confidence. The next decade saw an abrupt end to all of this: the Kennedy murder, the Vietnam war and the icy -cold relation with the eastern block revealed a gash in the shining metal hull of society. The model state was shown to be corrupt, chauvinistic and painfully prejudiced.
The socially orientated art of the 60’s and 70’s had put a focus upon ‘the message’. The images which grew more distinct and poster-like, were often combined with cogent paroles. But reality changes, as do our concepts of “justice”, “freedom” and the “model state”. Within politics, the “left” and “right” proved to be difficult measures of social values. During the 80’s and the 90’s the Establishment and other power structures were questioned in a more subtle and less confident mode. The resistance expressed itself more delicately as reality proved itself to be less concrete and more ethereal.
During the 80’s artists began using images derived from mass-culture and often altered their meaning by employing sophisticated methods. Artists like Cindy Sherman and Barbara Kruger took the commercial message of these images as well as the deeply rooted conceptions of race, gender and class. Using these, they managed to scrutinise the fabric of society and ruffle the lay of our hair.
During the 90’s the circle is closed and the aesthetic viewpoints of the post-war era can again be observed. However the messages has been camouflaged and the “roots” infiltrated.
Exhibition commissioners, MoMA: Susan Kismaric and Joshua Siegel
Co-ordinator, Moderna Museet: David Elliott
