Today's Los Angeles Times op-ed page item "The art of war" contains drawings on the subject of the Iraq war done by students of visual arts teacher Steve Brodner at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. The drawing displayed here, of Pres. Bush in a bubble floating over a mound of skulls, typifies the attitudes expressed, all of which are opposed to the war and the Bush administration in one form or other.
Perhaps as telling as the drawings is this statement by Brodner that accompanies them:
The pieces reprinted here -- including one I did myself -- are the result of a group project I assigned. I felt that while they were in my class, students should focus on what I believe to be the most urgent issue of our time: the Iraq war.
Isn't art supposed to be the ultimate in free expression? Shouldn't artists focus on what they feel are the most important things in their lives? But here's a teacher assigning his students to paint the war because he has decided it's "the most urgent issue." Reading his bio, it turns out Brodner has made a career of art in the service of the left-wing cause. So why not order his students to get into the act?
Nice of the LA Times to bring us this exercise in Bush-hatred.
Mark was in Iraq in November. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net
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What a shame! I can see
August 12, 2007 - 07:00 ET by rob6677What a shame! I can see giving students an idea or subject to use, like the Iraq war, but when you obviously give it a slant in only one direction (BDS) you are no longer teaching art, you are brainwashing political agenda.
"I may be crazy, but at least I'm not stupid" ME
Can you imagine if one of
August 12, 2007 - 07:07 ET by KhyrisCan you imagine if one of the students had depicted Bush bodily shielding the poor of iraq as they beg not to be abandonned from the greivous slings and arrows of the MSM and Al Quaeda? The professor probably would have given them an "F" on the spot.
Maybe a student DID make such a work.... but if they did, it's no surprise it didn't make it to the LA times. Nor would it be a surprise if it made it to the LA times, that it would be omitted. We may never know.
To be fair, I don't think
August 12, 2007 - 07:33 ET by rob6677To be fair, I don't think either one of those circumstances belongs in an art class, or the rest of the school for that matter.
It's just insane, maybe I was one of the lucky ones that went to a school where I was tought to think and form my own opinion, and if I did paint something like you mentioned it wouldn't be discarded, it would be right next to the others.
"I may be crazy, but at least I'm not stupid" ME
You know he would give then an "F"
August 12, 2007 - 09:29 ET by ThisnThatYour comment is spot on. I remember my time back in high school when we had one of those apprentice English teachers that had to teach a class in a real setting as part of their classwork. This was during the Vietnam war, and she plays this anti-war song and asks the class to spend the next 10 minutes documenting their impressions. That's it -- no other instructions.
So, I did -- I wrote my observations down -- and explained how I thought the whole exercise was stupid, and that everyone else was obviously writing something to appease her, and that I was glad no other instructions were provided so I didn't have to conform to her obviously biased opinions, and so on.....
And I got an F -- everyone else got an A. I still believe my essay was more creative than anyone elses, but it didn't "conform" and the instructor got to apply her biases to my grade.
So yes, this so-called art "teacher" is really a propagandist, a socialist, and for any student with independent traits, a terrorist -- since the instructor will mold the public proclamations of any student to the instructor's communist teachings.
}}---> Because he can
August 12, 2007 - 07:09 ET by Cool ArrowJust another dog licking himself.
"And for those students who miss the point, let me explain. You don't get published unless it's really offensive to the baby killers. Let me tell you about the sixties...."
Does anybody honestly think a patriotic theme gets favorable LAT coverage?
This is a non-issue
August 12, 2007 - 09:01 ET by CrashArtists have always practiced with some degree of controversy. In the middle east, art is a death sentence.
What makes this sad is the fact that a so called news outlet would run this sorry excuse of a story. Ooh, one more lefty hates Bush ... and of all places New York City.
But it is an issue
August 12, 2007 - 12:07 ET by kdoliverCrash you are right that it is a non-story. But the point that is being made here is not whether there is some art that is controversial, we all know it is, but that teachers are brain washing these kids.
I had an English teacher in college that wanted us to go out and protest the fact that the university and spent a lot of money starting an engineering school. The professors hired were given a great salary and they had come from West Point. They had 5 years to get the school accredited. I refused to participate because I thought the school was a good idea and would help grow the univeristy. My grades magically dropped from low As -- high Bs to very low Cs. That was my introduction to "liberal arts".
http://thelazytriathlete.blogspot.com/
You have a point, but
August 12, 2007 - 14:40 ET by mattmWhat's controversial about a Leftist professor instructing gullible Lefty students to paint Lefty pictures and be written about in a Lefty newspaper?
Controversy would be if they were to buck the "accepted" Lefty mindset and paint something other than the standard Lefty cliche'.
}}---> Art critics
August 12, 2007 - 11:25 ET by Cool ArrowNow this is art!
:{ That's Talent
August 13, 2007 - 07:43 ET by rob6677Yes, truely the most underated masterpiece of our time, I can really feel the gorilla's sentiments about the war on terror, the eye position suggests the proper amount of BDS that is needed to pass the KOS art class!
"I may be crazy, but at least I'm not stupid" ME
Love and War
August 12, 2007 - 12:00 ET by ucWhat was it I signed on to maybe say after months away? What was I thinking before I saw NB birthday announcement and TGIF invite to Pat Troy's? Is it "All is Fair in Love and War"? Well, maybe, but then how could it not be? War art? no Hillary/Bill love art, maybe.
I know it was about the media and MSM, and maybe about Republicans saying they believed in "evolution." Believe in "evolution" except when looking at the lead Democrat candidates? I know it is not what I posted this morning on a WSJ blog, as me.
It may have been about whether Hillary inhaled or is part of the baby boom generation that thought they were completely smarter than past Congresses and their own parents, not just partly. You know, questions MSM hasn't seemingly put to Hillary.
It wasn't about my CHILLER SUBMARINE idea I have out there again, mayber smarter and even more peaceful.
Well, it was about something the MSM isn't doing yet that it usually does to all candidates in such past races.
Maybe Love art is too hot a subject for Liberals this time around.
B-2 Bomber Art
August 12, 2007 - 13:09 ET by Seabeach4348I remember a news story back in early 2003 shortly after the war started in Iraq. There was a junior high school kid who drew a B2 bomber dropping bombs on Saddam, Osama BL, Taliban, and Alqeda over Iraq. I think that he also drew an American flag with the phrase "God Bless America", something sure to upset any socialist although the kid followed the instructions.
It was part of an "assignment" on what kids think about the war given by (guess what??) on of the kid's liberal teachers.
Of course, this was the "wrong" picture and the kid was suspended(!!) from school until he adjusted his attitude.
His parents sued, and won, against the idiots on the school board and the liberal commie teacher who got him suspended. The judge also ordered the school board and the teacher to take a remedial course in American History, especially the WW2 phase.
Looks like these teachers want the kids to freely express themselves as long as it's a hate-America, Bush is a murderer venue.
Oh isn't this
August 12, 2007 - 16:19 ET by bigtimerOh isn't this precious...another left-wing elitist so called art teacher....
With nothing but his own agenda getting praised in the likes of the leftist LAT's.
Nothing new....I just hope this diminishes over the years with other venues we have now to point this obvious leftist agenda out...and we replace these POS with real teachers...
Dang it all just teach the subject you are paid to teach....
Not what YOU believe.
The real issue taught in this class...
August 12, 2007 - 20:20 ET by c5thenThis is really what happens in many many of the college clasrooms today. And it is usually made absolutely clear without any room for debate, that only attitudes and ideas that conform to the professor's stated positions will recieve acceptable grades.
The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic
fair play - Clintonian Art
August 12, 2007 - 20:39 ET by Gary HallFair play - Clintonian Art
I can only imagine a teacher so instructing his students during the Clinton era of illicit sex in the oval office - the people's office of the most powerful leader in the world.
So let us imagine what Steve Brodner might have had to say to the LA Times in 1998.
Perhaps we'd see some kinky art showing presidential cigar sex.