Introduction What art is has always been one of the most complex questions of our existence. What defines a work to be art and/or of beauty? What is the purpose of making art? What separates artworks telling a story from a propagandistic ground and others which are simply made with artistry intensions? Seeking to find a purpose, we come across another set of questions: investigating how art serves as a propaganda medium and where we draw the line, if there is one, between art and propaganda. The seminar #Not In For This, led by Dr. Sarah Hegenbart, continuously raised similar questions in discussions. As a group, participants researched and learned how fine arts, performative arts, and architecture have played roles in different periods and circumstances. Different points of views were represented in many articles and essays that have been discussed. In this research paper similar questions will be investigated on a greater spectrum of different time periods. Starting from cave paintings all the way to contemporary art in 2010’s, crucial examples will be analysed thoroughly and as detailed as possible with the related imagery presented. These examples will be examined if they have propagandistic motives and how these motives impact the art works’ value.
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