LA Times Item on Art Students Painting Their Anti-War Politics

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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