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Westermann’s art is highly symbolic |
The
war-inspired work of American artist H.C. Westermann is now receiving long
overdue recognition and dialogue. Westermann’s work is currently on
display in an exhibition curated by Michael Rooks entitled “War (What is it
Good For?)” at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. Although
Westermann’s work, sometimes labeled as “pop art” or “folk art”, has
influenced many successful contemporary artists, his work has until recently
been overlooked, often criticized as being out of touch with mainstream trends.
Much
of the inspiration for Westermann’s work comes directly from his military
service in both World War II and the Korean War. It is his exploration of the
psychological effects of being directly involved in the act of combat that forms
the basis for his work. As such he offers a critical view on the reality and
effects of war as well as physical representations of existential disturbances
that exist as a result of living in and serving a materialist society.
Combining
a depression era work ethic, a background in carpentry and a deep connection to
his subject matter, Westermann managed to create a unique aesthetic, which was
alienated from the artistic sensibilities of the post-war era. While most
cutting edge artwork of the time was in the vein of Abstraction, Westermann was
interested in pursuing work that was deeply personal and autobiographical in
content. Although Abstraction often had existential roots, as much of
Westermann’s work did, he chose to pursue these ideas in a more symbolic way.
Westermann’s
pieces have now been rediscovered among postmodern works. The timing couldn’t
have been better as Westerman’s reemergence comes during a period of intense
debate over war and peace. His works fit this discussion in a way that allows
for an effective curatorial statement on war.
Crafted
primarily out of building materials such as wood and metal, many of Westermann's
three-dimensional pieces are symbolic representations of the body. For instance,
he houses the soul within the chest of a metal robot or a wooden building. The
significance of this choice in material and representation cannot be overstated,
especially in light of recent attacks on symbolic buildings/structures.
Characteristic
of Westermann’s work are the anthropomorphosized architectural structures.
These works evoke ideas that seem more relevant now to a post 9/11 world.
Works such as “Mad House”(1958) and “Memorial to the Idea of Man if Man
Was an Idea”(1958) are composed primarily out of wood and metal and both
resemble containers and/or buildings, while at the same time, humorously suggest
the presence of a soul. Westermann uses these structures metaphorically,
acting to illustrate an existential confusion that is a result of the material
ambitions of a capitalist nation. Highly autobiographical, “Memorial of
the Idea of Man if Man Was an Idea” acts as a self-portrait as a box or a
building. The box/building represents his body as a place of internal
security; but also a place that is impossible to escape.
One
of Westermann’s largest series of works are his “Death Ships”. These
pieces take a critical stance on war and were created to memorialize the deaths
of his fellow soldiers. The memorials take the shape of meticulously crafted
boats, representations of his disgrace and disgust for the deaths that he
witnessed. Part of the “Death Ship” series, “Death Ship Run Over by
a ’66 Continental”, features a boat shaped coffin fashioned from pine and
scarred diagonally across its hull by tire tracks. A shark, alluded to by a
black fin, circles the boat, which floats in a sea of U.S. currency. The
piece gains its energy and impact through its enclosure in a glass case.
The case acts as a way of ensuring the permanence and importance of Westermann's
vision.
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Primarily
known for his three-dimensional work, Westermann has also been recognized
recently for his print-making in a retrospective of his two-dimensional works
entitled “See America First”. Although lacking in the voluminous,
architectural qualities of Westermann’s three-dimensional work, the prints
remain just as critical of Western culture, just as disillusioned with war and
still as removed from the fashion of his time. Westermann’s work has increased
in significance and potency as the years have passed and is being recognized now
as it reflects attitudes of a dissenting public that questions the necessity of
war.
Westermann’s
work, along with works done by other contemporary international artists curated
in the theme of anti-war can be seen in the exhibition “War (What is it Good
For)” until May 18th at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago Illinois,
USA.
