Kasher, “The Art of Hitler;” Levi, “Judge for Yourselves;” and Goggin, “Decent vs. Degenerate Art”

Kasher "The Art of Hitler"

The first thing that came to mind when I began to read these readings was How does Hitler's time have anything to do with art. I generally don't think of art in that time, what was being produced and even displayed because of all the horrible things that were going on in the world at this time. He began by dicussing the swastika its origins and meanings. He stated that it used to be a religious symbol and associated with the sun. Very opposite of how society and we as man kind view the swastika today. He then goes on to discuss the Nazi flag. He tells about the detail Hitler took when chosing the colors and symbol. He says the flag to Hitler, "stood for a program of aggressive racial, sexual, and cultural purification, a struggle toward a single transcendent culture." To think Hitler did not go with the swastika symbol's orginial meaning. Why was this? How did he see something so different? Kasher goes on to discuss how Hitler was actually an artist between the ages of 19-25. Hitler was a painter and painted architectual scenes as well as human figures. His human figure work are often distorted, and rarely seen in the public. Was this a warning sign to how he felt about humans? Kasher also speaks about how German Nazis used the techniques of filtering art like we do today. They declared a specific day for "German Art Day," and celebrated all the works that were released that year.


Levi "Judge for Yourselves"

Levi speaks about and gives an example of how the government and art and how one always controls the other. Most often the government controlling the art world. Is this necessary? some would agree so, but I think art is free expression, something very person and not always for someone else to interpret.


Goggin "Decent vs. Degenerate Art"

Goggin finishes the article talking about how the Nazi used the control over art at that time for propaganda. The government controlled everything. If you wanted to create art you needed the government's approval. Some art will be offensive to others, while some will completely be unexplainable except by the artist itself. Art doesn't need a "parent" standing over it's shoulder saying whether it is unappropriate or not. If you find it offensive dont view it. No one is forcing you to. If you find it unappropriate don't discuss it.


What is it about art that causes the humankind to constantly need an answer?
Is it just our nature? or is there an underlying meaning behind us constantly protecting and sheltering ''art"?
If Art is so subjective and everyone will Always have their own opinion about it why are we constantly looking for "the one right answer" when there is none?