Restless Times : Art in Britain 1914 – 1945

They say that misery drives art. I don’t know who “they” are nor can I muster up to say where I got that quote. For all I know, it’s something I just made up.

There’s no worse misery in this world than the misery we inflict into each other. Whether for greed, envy or for the illusion of power, man is the wolf of man, and from that conflict, art arises as a response, whether as condemnation or as a cry for help.

From all the conflagrations that the world suffered in the 20^th century, the two that left a mark in the United Kingdom were the two great wars. Whether by the horrors of the trenches (particularly the hell that was Ypres) or the relentless pounding of The Blitz, the United Kingdom suffered to no end during both wars.

And from this apocalyptic, hopeless scenario, the human spirit soldiered through. Not only by unity and bravery, but also by the creative arts. Like an adrenaline shot, the cruelty of humanity towards its ilk seeped through, mutating the fickle art world into several new currents.

Restless times: Art In Britain 1914 – 1945 is the exhibition held at the Millenium Gallery in Sheffield that shows quite a range of these artistic expressions.

The exhibition has all sorts of interactive bits: an old-school cinema projecting 30 minute loop of old films, several bakelite telephones were you can leave a message and old radios with typical atmospheric sounds of the era.

The strange layout of the place also makes it a collection of nook and crannies for the varied art expressions, from impressionistic posters (almost propaganda-like) to some rather abstract art (all about David Bomberg’s In the hold), the exhibition has a little treat for all tastes.

You can even get a little newspaper, in the style of yore, for free (with convenient donation stalls nearby, if your wallet so desires to help out the free exhibition).

Now, here’s a few bits too look for:

-Christopher Richard Wynne Nevinson’s Twentieth Century, the painting by the left hand side of the entrance, symbolising rational thinking being overwhelmed by The Madness that is war.

-The propaganda-like posters of London Underground. Marvelous.

-Different styles of art used to express the war. Whether as it was a retort, a sign of disgust or as catharsis, the great wars of the XX century made art change.

-On the note of style, compare how destruction can be shown. Graham Sutherland (Devastation) goes subtle, showing the destruction of a Public House as the damage the English society has received, whereas Louis Duffy (Aftermath) does show dead bodies amongst the ruins. Both convey the horrors, each one with their unique style.

Some random thoughts to ponder (feel free to tell me I’m ranting):

-Again: does suffering make art push forward? Is the helplessness of seeing brother slay brother what drives the soul of an artist to find new ways to express himself? Does something as tragic as a war the only way for art to change?

-Women’s lib was fuelled by the condition of women having to do men’s jobs, pushing forward the fight for equality (which definitely hasn’t been reached yet, just see the gap in paychecks) and towards the change of the status quo (a few stops down the line. Allegedly).

-It’s interesting that as much as the English society changes, the love of the countryside (and the occasional spot of gardening) is still a common trait through the ages. With places like the Peak District, I can understand entirely this love for Nature.

-Were barrage balloons as useless as the Maginot line?

Ok, enough rambling. Check this exhibition, it really has something for everyone.

Restless Times: Art in Britain 1914 – 1945 runs until January 30, 2011. It’s free and it’s a good time. Please feel free to donate if you enjoy it.

—Sam

The author would like to thank Chris Harvey from Museums Sheffield for his help.

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Link

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