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The Cold War in American: Works from the 1950'S – 1970'S, Selections from the Art Museum Collection

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The Cold War in American: Works from the 1950'S – 1970'S, Selections from the Art Museum Collection UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING ART MUSEUM 2010 The Cold War in American: Works from the 1950’s – 1970’s, Selections from the Art Museum Collection PURPOSE OF THIS PACKET: EXPLORE: To provide K-12 teachers with background They will explore the cultural and political extremes information on the UW Art Museum (UAM) that typified the Cold War period. They will be exhibition and suggested age appropriate applications encouraged to research vocabulary words and related for exploring the concepts, meaning, and artistic intent aspects of the exhibit. of the work exhibited, before, during, and after the museum visit. CREATE: CURRICULAR UNIT TOPIC: Students will be given time to practice sketching and Teachers and students examine the dynamic drawing, and may create their own paintings or prints, development of art during the political, emotional, and reflecting the style of the artwork on exhibit, including cultural upheavals of the Cold War. The focus of this Abstract Expressionism, Color Field Painting, Pop Art educational packet and curricular unit is to observe, and Minimalism. Work on art projects may occur either question, explore, create and reflect. in the UWAM Shelton Studio or in their school art room. OBSERVE: REFLECT: Students will observe the work of several premier Cold Students will evaluate their final art products with War Era artists. They will look closely at paintings and other students from their classes and with teachers prints, exploring the ideas and themes presented and and museum educators. They will receive feedback the artistic qualities of the work: the colors used; the on the art work and the concepts behind the making shapes and lines of the paintings; subject matter; style of the art work. After this process, each person may and techniques. write an essay about their art, the artist, or their museum experience. QUESTION: Students will have an opportunity to read, write, sketch, and listen to teachers and museum educators, and then, to come up with questions about the work they see, the political and social context and the concepts behind the art work and the artists who created it. Students will question the materials and techniques used and their own responses to the art work in the exhibition. The Cold War in American: Works from the 1950’s – 1970’s INTRODUCTION The end of World War II in 1945 did not mean the end of war as we know it; rather, it marked the beginning of a new type of discord – the Cold War. This ongoing state of political conflict, military tension, and economic competition continued primarily between the Unites States and the Soviet Union. Although the two military powers never officially fought, the conflict was expressed through military coalitions, strategic military deployments, espionage, propaganda, technological and cultural competitions, and most significantly, the development of the nuclear arms race. This period in American history was shaped by conflict, and the public’s preoccupation with the Cold War began to influence American society. In the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, the United States saw the rise of the Civil Rights movement, student protests against Alice Neel (American, 1900-1984), A Bald Headed Man with a Striped Shirt Pipe in Mouth, ed. 73/150, 1980, lithograph, 23- the Vietnam War, the assassinations of Civil Rights 3/4 x 19-1/16 inches, gift of Mr. Ernesto Ostheimer, University of leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and President John F. Wyoming Art Museum Collection Kennedy, the sexual revolution, and the creation of the House Committee on Un-American Activities. impression of spontaneity. The American art world during the second half of Closely related to Abstract Expressionism, Color the 20th Century became a reflection of national and Field painting is characterized by large fields of flat, international crises. Artists had a defining role in solid color creating areas of unbroken surface and a addressing and reacting to these issues and reaching a flat picture plane, placing the emphasis on constancy new level of engagement with the world. of the form and process, rather than the gesture and Abstract Expressionism, Color Field painting, movement of Abstract Expressionism. Artists such Pop Art, and Minimalism came of age during the as Robert Motherwell are considered to belong to Cold War period, representing a radically new both movements. Conversely, the development of engagement with materials and space, redefining Pop Art in the United States is considered a reaction the role and purpose of art. Abstract Expressionism to Abstract Expressionism and artists such as Robert became the first uniquely American art movement Indiana and Andy Warhol defined the movement to gain worldwide recognition. Although Abstract through parody of the mass-produced imagery of Expressionism shares many stylistic similarities advertising that American society was subjected to on to Russian counterparts of the early 20th century, a daily basis through sophisticated product labeling the American artists, such as Willem de Kooning and logos. and James Brooks, based their work on the pure At the same time, artists continued to produce expression of ideas relating to the spiritual, the representational and figurative works in the midst of unconscious, and the mind. Many of the Russian the abstract movement. The subjects of these artists, artists’ work involved careful planning to give the including the work of Alice Neel, were portraits Page 2 Education Packet The Cold War in American: Works from the 1950’s – 1970’s of family, friends, and fellow artists. These works 1949 share the expressionistic use of line and color and • The North Atlantic Treaty Organization emotional intensity of the Abstract Expressionists. (NATO) is founded. The emotional upheaval, tension, and the • The Soviet Union tests its first atomic bomb. unknown caused by conflict of the Cold War and The test succeeds, and the Soviet Union its affect on American society became the muse for becomes the world’s second nuclear power. artistic development during the 1950s, 60s, and 70s in • Mao Zedong announces the founding of the the United States. It was this atmosphere that allowed People’s Republic of China. Abstract Expressionism, Color Field painting, Pop • Under Soviet direction the founding of Art, and Minimalism to set the stage for the United the German Democratic Republic was States to become the new center of the art world. proclaimed. The USA and most other countries did not recognize the G.D.R. until a COLD WAR TIMELINE series of agreements in 1972-73. 1946 1950 • Winston Churchill warns of the descent of • President Harry S. Truman initiates a crash an Iron Curtain across Europe, marking the program to develop the hydrogen bomb. beginning of the Cold War. • At a Republican women’s club Senator • A group of abstract Modernist artists known Joseph McCarthy claims that the U.S. as the Abstract Expressionist or New York State Department has been infiltrated by School emerge. Communist spies. During the Red Scare 1947 of the 1950s, the House of Un-American • President Harry Truman asks the Congress Activities Committee will persecute suspected for $400 million for military and economic Communist Party members, among those of assistance to support free peoples in Europe blacklisted are Arthur Miller, Lena Horne and and contain the spread of communism. Paul Robeson. The Truman Doctrine marked the end of • North Korea invades South Korea, the America’s longstanding policy of isolationism. beginning of the Korean War. Under the • Secretary of State George C. Marshall issues leadership of General Douglas MacArthur, the a call for a wide-ranging program to rebuild United Nations Command joins the fight with Europe. Pressured by the fear of communist U.S. troops. expansion and the rapid deterioration of • Levittown is built on Long Island, and 17,400 European economies, Congress passes the homes go up for sale: the development is Economic Cooperation Act and approves nicknamed “Fertility Valley” and the “Rabbit financial support for the rebuilding of Western Hutch” because of the rapid growth. Europe. The Marshall Plan has been recognized • Approximately 9% of U.S. homes have as a great humanitarian effort and Secretary of television sets. State Marshall received a Nobel Peace Prize. 1951 1948 • Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are convicted of • Truman signs the Marshall Plan into effect. By espionage for their role in passing atomic secrets the end of the program, funding would rise to to the Soviets during and after World War II. more than $12 billion. They are executed by electric chair in 1953. Page 3 Education Packet The Cold War in American: Works from the 1950’s – 1970’s • I Love Lucy premieres on TV. the spread of communism in Latin America. 1952 • More than one-half of U.S. homes have • The United Kingdom successfully tests its television sets (an estimated 26 million) atomic bomb. The test makes the UK the 1955 world’s third nuclear power. • U.S. begins sending foreign aid to the • The first Holiday Inn is opened in Memphis. southern-based Republic of Vietnam. • Dwight D. Eisenhower, the former Supreme • Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine is introduced to the Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe public. during World War II, is elected the 34th • The Mickey Mouse Club and The Ed Sullivan president. Show premiere on TV. • The first successful test of the hydrogen bomb • The Warsaw Pact is founded; it is organized as is conducted near the Marshall Islands. military support of Soviet interests in Central • Sun Records is opened in Memphis. By mid- and Eastern European countries. 1950’s it released records with a fusion of 1956 black and country music, such as Elvis Presley • The Southern Manifesto, which opposes and Johnny Cash. integration, is signed by congressmen from • John Clellon Holmes uses the term “Beat Southern States.
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