Eighteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society

Abstract

This study starts from observations about the socio-political and ideological context of artistic creation in the first post-war period, which is largely connected to the emphasis of the individuality, “Art for Art,” at least in the Western world. This promotes the autonomy of the works which distances the artist from society. We highlight the complexity of art, its highest value, putting aside the decorative character of art that runs through it today. Art becomes part of a political-social conversation, promotes the social ideal, political criticism, propaganda, public awakening, production for the creator and the world, not just for the system. In order to reflect on the importance of the socio-political point of view of art, we study works by artists who lived in the darkness of the war. The whole presentation is important and protoype because it is the first entirely (complete) study of the political social point of view of the Greek civil art, being the first doctor who started the systematic research and of course it has value because we always rely on primary material. Indicatively, Greek Archives of Contemporary Social History, Greek Directorate of Army History, the War Museum of Athens, etc.; as well as art magazines of the time such as the “Art Review,” “People’s Speech,” “Libra,” etc.