Making Statements through Art Guernica Propaganda in art is not only used by powerful authorities. It can also be used to voice the people through an artist’s work. In the beginning of the 20th century, the world is devastated and exhausted with a world war and the many civil wars within civilizations that come as an aftermath and eventually leads to the second world war. In a gruesome atmosphere like this, artists have nothing to do but reflect to these emotions in their works. Picasso, being one of these artists, is commissioned in 1937 to paint for the Spanish Pavilion at the Paris International Exposition. The work he produces: Guernica, is a mural sized painting inspired by the bombings in a small town called Basque. [iv] The painting in its raw black and white palette portrays human figures, a bull, and a horse in a frenzy. The whole composition is a big mess of tangled bodies and extravagant emotional expressions. Bodies laying lifeless in the helpless arms of loved ones who wail in agony, animals perplexed with the senseless hustle happening around them, it is just a moment after the bombs have hit the ground. It is such a dynamic piece in spite of the lack of color use. The light coming from the weirdly shaped head light, which some say resembles an actual bomb explosion, lighten the faces of people on the move going around in this moment of great worry, agony and shock. It lays bare the cruelty and unfairness of wars and how it affects the innocent more than anyone else. It is such a strong anti war statement that is still relevant today. In this context Guernica can surely be an example of propaganda and art in a harmonised marriage. With Guernica, Picasso shows that fine arts can serve the people to promote their ideas too. Propaganda in art is not only a tool for powerful leaders and high authorities. Guernica in later years becomes more universal and even takes a life beyond canvas. It appears in stand-ins for Dresden, Berlin, Hiroshima where defenceless civilians were attacked. Reproductions are carried in protests all over the world. [v]
Transparency In the 21st century art and what is defined as an artwork begin to come in many unique forms. Contemporary art and especially performance art continue to raise eyebrows and the viewers are asked to participate and put more thought to be able to understand the work more than prior times. Performative artworks sometimes blur the lines between propaganda and art. Some of them seek to provoke new ideas promoting one idea on the other hand protesting another. 6
