Max and Architecture's Political Impact
Art is powerful in all its forms; music, performance art, visuals, and architecture all carry with them the power to influence our emotions and perceptions of reality. Art can suspend our perception of realistic expectations for the world around us, which helps us expand our thinking so that when we exit the moment, we may have new ideas of reality. Thus, when executed well, an art piece can convince the viewer of a thesis, make the viewer look at an issue from a new angle, or inspire the viewer to believe in something new. This means being an artist carries with it a great deal of power, and it is no surprise that those already in places of other forms of power (or those who seek to gain power), may aim to use art to expand their own reign.
The fictionalized version of the character of Hitler in the movie Max argues that true power is gained through more than the speeches and the policies of politics. At one point in the movie he says "politics is the new art," suggesting that true power seems to be in the combination of politics and art. This is reinforced by his interest in architecture and his explanation of his designs; he tells the character called Rothman that as he crafts his ideas of fashion and architecture, his goal is to inspire belief in what he wants the world to become--which is of course the world the real Hitler pursued as the leader of the Nazi party.
According to the article "Trump’s Bizarre Plan to Make Architecture Classical Again" written by Amanda Kolson Hurley, "good architecture is important because it can lift our mood, inspire us to creativity or spiritual reflection, and ease our anxieties." In other words, architecture can influence our realties. This is echoed in Max, as Hitler's character argues that architecture can also act as political messaging by pushing a culture into a new reality. What is startling about these arguments are their implications when considering the plans of the Trump administration.
According to the aforementioned article, the Trump administration may sign an order to make "Classical and traditional styles" the only forms of architecture appropriate for government buildings costing more than 50 million dollars. The author argues that this is a dangerous precedent to set, writing, "[this] would... suggest that what’s most valuable in our built environment is what was codified by a white male elite before women could vote and black Americans had full legal rights." The author argues, then, that a reality without the influences outside of classical styles in public art suggests a reality that devalues and alienates those who do not identify with it--usually those who are not white, rich, and male. This suggests that the mandate of "Classical" styles exists only to encourage and support those who have never been at a disadvantage within society.
This issue closely aligns with the rest of Trump's platform of "making America great again." By making America great again, America would be returning to something. What is that something? The history of America is filled with racism, imperialism, misogyny, homophobia, war, and every other form of marginalization and oppression known to civilization. Thus, making America "great" again means, at least in some capacity, making America increasingly unsafe and inequitable for most of the people who live within its borders. The author of the article goes on to write that, "a classicism mandate would signal to architects that innovation and progress are subversive, and to the public that a retread of the past is safer than the wide-open future." Thus, by regressing what is appropriate in architecture, the Trump administration is cementing the cultural push for conservatism and fully realizing it into society. In other words, by making the US look more like their version of "great" America, America is more likely to culturally return to its conservative roots. Effectively, these architectural guidelines put a pause on cultural growth, as people feel less challenged by their surroundings, and more likely to simply feel comfortable with what they've always known.
What are your thoughts? What other arguments does Max make about art and power? How can we apply these arguments to today's world?
I really liked that you talked about Trump's slogan of "make America great again" and expanded upon that idea by questioning what was so great about it in the first place. Trump, like Hitler (a comparison I feel slightly weird about making but think there is an inherent similarity in some of their ideas), wanted to revert back to a time where white cis men were the prominent citizens in control of the culture. In the film Max, Hitler sees Jewish people making art and being in charge of what was considered "good" art by being an art dealer, and seems to feel a loss of control. Trump sees minorities rising to power (although that power is still stifled by white supremacy) and white men losing power or being called out on their abuse of it, and wants to take us back to a time where that was not tolerated. By putting a paused on cultural growth, like you said, it keeps society frozen in time where white male power is not questioned. It's insidious and gross, and it's why looking at how art affects politics is so important to make sure we never go back to a time like that and that we continue growing as a society. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThat is a great connection between Hitler's perceived power of the art dealer in the film and the increasing rights/power of minorities in America today! I had not thought of that and I think it's a great addition to the post! I feel like this is where loss of privilege comes in--to people like Trump, seeing people who used to be disadvantaged (or at least more than they are now) taking up more space in society feels like oppression simply because they don't experience the same privilege in all spaces how they used to. It's like that one phrase, "equality feels like oppression to those who have privilege."
DeleteHi! I really like this connection, as well. In Max, we see art as a problem only after minority populations seem to have power in it. Art was a way to level the playing field, as art dealers were able to raise the voices of Jewish communities. I really like this connection to Trump's America, as social media can function in a similar way. Because we can empower our own voices and the voices of others, those that are in a position of power seem to feel threatened in a way they did not realize. Like you said, Elaine, "equality feels like oppression to those who have privilege". This is shown when we see marginalized voices find a way to have a voice in the political system, whether it be through art like in Max, or through today's social media.
DeleteThis movie got a lot of hate from a lot of people because it depicted Hitler in a human way. However, I think that’s good for our cause. I think if we didn’t depict hitler as a human, he would have this mystical high rating status which makes him seem even more phantom and fearful.
ReplyDeleteThe same is being done for trump. People don’t see trump as human. Instead, they see him as someone fearful and unseen and we don’t know how to deal with him. How many of you know the early beginnings of trump before his TV personality?
I have some difficulty imagining that a policy meant to make expensive government buildings in the form of "classical and traditional" architecture (which I took to mean in ancient Greek and Roman styles) would cause anyone harm. Still, I don't believe that the building mandate, as it is presented in its current form, is specific enough to have an applicable meaning. One could interpret "classical and traditional" to refer to domes and columns, pagodas and minarets, or pueblos and pyramids; Trump's proposal is too vague to enact. Still, I don't find it that strange that our government buildings, like our laws, are constructed to resemble the aspects of the past which inspired them; we must simply be careful to amend and remember them when they become outdated.
ReplyDeleteWell, it is true that politics and art are the most powerful tools we have, especially when it comes to freedom of speech. Money is not so powerful in this regard. Trump can put a limit on architecture all he wants, but it is bound to be lifted once he is out of office because true art does not let itself be confined by money or politics. true art may comment on politics, but its thesis always extend outside of politics, making it timeless whereas politics are always changing. take "Guernica" for example or "Self-portrait as a Soldier" which was actually in Hiter's "degenerate art exhibit" where he featured art he thought was comically stupid. Yes, these pieces are tied to politics, but they have transcended the politics from which they were once tied. These pieces are still important because they say something about humanity itself. They dig deeper than politics could because politics often serve to suppress the emotions and the beauty of humanity. If someone went out and built a building over 50 million dollars right now and it did not fit into trump's approved buildings, it would make history. It would tell the classic story of art trumping politics. It would say that architecture cannot return to classical style, because there are better, more expressive, less confining styles now, just as America could never and should never return to its old, oppressive ways. Art proves this when politics fail to.
ReplyDeleteI think this topic of art and how it is influenced by and influences politics is really interesting, and you presented this information very well. There is a lot to be said about the influence it can have on a society if one were to alter art and architecture of the modern day to make it reminiscent of days past. When reading, the idea of erasing certain types of art and architecture kept coming to mind. If someone were to "push down" art of certain cultures (for example, the art and rituals of Native American cultures, Hispanic cultures, Jewish cultures, etc.) one can gain power in a very monumental way, right under the noses of a nation. I like how these discussions bring to light ways that people and governments can gain power through ways never thought of, and how easy it can be to ignore these signs.
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