World Wars Influenced Art

March 23rd's lecture covered Art Deco Moderne. The style expressed the desires of the modern era and geometric designs. Streamlining and zigzag designs were featured in this style. During this time people had a lot of faith in the machine era; the 1920's and 1930's. Probably the greatest illustrator of the 20th century was A.M. Cassandre who revitalized advertising using Surrealist Metaphor. His designs were bold and dramatized 2-D and used iconic symbols. He mastered scale shifts effectively.

After the World Wars advertising posters for other countries featured foreigns styles created by a different country. For example, a United States created poster featured European styles to promote that particular country. Ludwig Hohlwien revolutionized Victory Metaphors by promoting the Olympic Games during Nazi Germany. His work corresponded with Hitlers concept of virtuous propaganda. Around the same time Montgomery Flag branded Uncle Sam as an American Symbol. Another influence on Art Deco Moderne was Herbert Matter who created pictorial symbols by using silhouetted photographs, used uncommon angles, Incorporated micro and macro styles and used overprinting and transparencies.

I never realized how influenced people were by art during the World Wars until I saw it in class. I always wondered how people believed Hitler and were influenced into believing in what their country stood for until I viewed the posters that revolutionized the wars. They seemed sincere and patriotic. Obviously what one believes is majorly determined by what one has always been brought up to believe give or take a few very persuasive characters.