During times of crisis, artists have been quick to respond and reflect on the chaos and destruction around them. While the world is tackling viruses, the artist has the function to depict the horror around the community and give a sense of understanding and empathy to people. Throughout history, there have been multiple pandemics and epidemics which have brought various responses from the art world.
In this dissertation I will look at representations of Black Death, HIV/AIDS, the Great Influenza pandemic and COVID-19. I have used historical texts and image examples including contemporary artist like Tracey Emin and David Wojnarowicz. I also use methods derived from practice, in activating histories to understand crisis.
Art serves many purposes in society including political and social causes, entertainment, self-expression, propaganda. During a crisis like the current COVID-19 pandemic, it especially helps to connect people and keep them sane. Throughout the year, people engaged in different art challenges on social media, shared home DIY projects, made their own facemasks and children drew rainbows to thank the NHS. Furthermore, artists around the world shared plenty of street art and digital art depicting facemasks, essential workers and transmitting a sense of longing for a brighter future.
In contrast to that, there was a CyberFirst campaign by the government targeted at the creative industry encouraging them to rethink their career (see Appendix A). The campaign poster depicted a ballet dancer alongside the text ‘Fatima’s next job could be in cyber (she just doesn’t know it yet)’ next to the slogan ‘Rethink. Reskill. Reboot.’ While there might have been some good intentions behind the campaign, it received a lot of criticism as it seems to suggest that art jobs are not important or worthy. It especially caused outrage as the arts and culture sector were hit hard by the effects of lockdown and the government was pressured to provide increased financial support.
I am motivated by my own continuous practice (including studio and research) by reflecting on the past and real lived experiences. It is my desire to actively learn from history as a tool for dealing with contemporary crises.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 WHAT IS PLAGUE ART?
1.2 The Black Death
1.3 DEATH
1.4 DANSE MACABRE
1.5 MADONNA DELLA MISERICORDIA
1.6 SAINTS
1.7 HIV/AIDS crisis
1.8 QUEER ART
1.9 Great Influenza Pandemic
1.10 EGON SCHIELE
1.11 EDVARD MUNCH
1.12 COVID-19 pandemic
1.13 TRACEY EMIN
2. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This dissertation explores how artists throughout history have responded to pandemics and epidemics, specifically examining the Black Death, the HIV/AIDS crisis, the Great Influenza, and the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on both historical and contemporary representations to understand the role of art in times of crisis.
- The intersection of art, religion, and mortality during historical plagues.
- Political and activist art as a response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
- The role of self-portraiture in documenting personal trauma during respiratory pandemics.
- The function of creative practice and online platforms in managing isolation and collective crisis.
Excerpt from the Book
WHAT IS PLAGUE ART?
During the Black Death in the fourteenth century, the plague was mainly put in a religious context as it was common Christian belief that sickness was the divine punishment for sinners. Furthermore, art had the function of a warning as images were more understood than words. Later on, artists empathised with the victims of the invisible enemy by remembering the crucifixion as it was believed that suffering brought you closer to Christ.
Even so, during the Great Influenza Pandemic in the beginning of the twentieth century, artists focused on empathy and making sense of suffering. Artists like Edvard Munch and Egon Schiele have made great use of self-portraits as a way to depict sickness, vulnerability and internal torture. Art functions here as a coping mechanism for the artist, but also for the viewer who ‘may feel a profound sense of recognition and compassion for Munch's suffering, which can in some way help to heal their distress.’ (Dr Elizabeth Outka in Kasriel 2020).
During the HIV and AIDS crisis in the 1980s, art was also used as a way to cope and to take back control from the illness. David Wojnarowicz, who died of Aids in 1992, actively criticised the US government and the Catholic Church for their failure to make safe-sex information accessible. In one of his works, he buried himself in some dirt shortly before his death and performed his own burial as a way to take back control and not his life be ruled by disease (see Appendix B).
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides an overview of how artists respond to times of crisis to provide understanding and empathy, outlining the specific pandemics examined in the text.
WHAT IS PLAGUE ART?: Discusses the religious context and warning function of art during the Black Death and subsequent pandemics.
The Black Death: Details the arrival of the plague in Europe and its drastic impact on the population and artistic themes.
DEATH: Examines theological literature regarding the 'Art of Dying' and the spiritual preparations during the pandemic.
DANSE MACABRE: Analyzes the recurring visual theme of dancing skeletons as a 'memento mori' symbol.
MADONNA DELLA MISERICORDIA: Explores the iconography of the Virgin Mary as a source of refuge and protection from divine punishment.
SAINTS: Discusses the role of saints, particularly St. Sebastian, as mediators between the suffering mortals and the Divine.
HIV/AIDS crisis: Details the social and political impact of the AIDS epidemic and the resulting rise in LGBTQ+ stigmatization.
QUEER ART: Examines the activist role of queer art, specifically the collective Gran Fury, in response to governmental and religious indifference.
Great Influenza Pandemic: Covers the impact of the 1918 influenza and how its trauma was captured through self-portraiture.
EGON SCHIELE: Analyzes Schiele's personal struggle with the 1918 pandemic reflected in his painting 'The Family'.
EDVARD MUNCH: Investigates how Edvard Munch utilized self-portraiture to document his own illness and existential dread.
COVID-19 pandemic: Explores the modern global reaction to COVID-19, including the shift to digital artistic expression.
TRACEY EMIN: Focuses on how Emin used online platforms and intimate self-isolation paintings to cope with anxiety and personal health issues.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the historical transition of plague art from religious warning to political activism and personal therapeutic expression.
Keywords
Pandemics, Black Death, HIV/AIDS, COVID-19, Great Influenza, Queer Art, Activism, Self-portraiture, Isolation, Trauma, Religion, Art History, Resilience, Digital Art, Mortality
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this research primarily about?
The work explores how artists have depicted pandemics across history, from the Black Death to the contemporary COVID-19 era.
What are the primary thematic areas?
The core themes include the intersection of mortality and art, the evolution of religious versus political iconography in response to disease, and the role of the artist as documentarian of communal trauma.
What is the central research question?
The study aims to understand how visual art functions as a tool for both social commentary and personal healing during times of global health crisis.
Which scientific method is applied?
The research relies on historical analysis, visual iconography studies, and the critical review of contemporary artistic practices to draw connections between historical responses and current events.
What is addressed in the main body?
The body analyzes specific historical and contemporary case studies, including the Black Death, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and the works of artists like Egon Schiele, Edvard Munch, and Tracey Emin.
Which keywords define this dissertation?
Key terms include Pandemics, AIDS activism, Plague Art, Queer Art, and the use of digital media for artistic survival.
How does the author relate contemporary art to the COVID-19 lockdown?
The author discusses how artists like Tracey Emin utilized online platforms and daily documentation during the lockdown to manage isolation and personal illness.
What is signified by the 'Danse Macabre'?
It acts as a 'memento mori', reminding viewers that death is a universal equalizer regardless of social class or status.
Why was the 'Silence = Death' campaign significant within the HIV/AIDS crisis?
It represented an aggressive political response by activists to the perceived failure of the Catholic Church and government to address the crisis effectively.
How is St. Sebastian used in the context of plague-time art?
St. Sebastian serves as a figure of empathy and identification, where his martyrdom and resulting salvation mirror the suffering and potential hope of the plague-stricken population.
- Quote paper
- Joséphine Hengstwerth (Author), 2021, Learning from the Virus. Exploration of historic and contemporary representations and art works of pandemics and epidemics, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1370755
