I love your interest in the artwork created during that dark time. You will find that many artists under oppressive regimes have created beautiful art. (check out Hungary and Poland). This is what artists do.
I take strong exception to your title though. Good art is made by good artists... and in all likelihood they were not in alignment with the fascist dictates of their patrons.
Thank you for the thoughtful comment! Yes, it seems like even under the worst of conditions, artists can find a way to produce beautiful and inspiring art.
The title was definitely meant to attract attention rather than describe the political leanings of all the artists who worked for Hoxha at the time. On the topic of who was a card-carrying communist as opposed to someone just trying to eke out a living in those difficult times, I recommend reading the Kosovo 2.0 article I linked to. The artist I quoted directly in my article - Arben Basha - was definitely just paying lip service and didn't support the regime, but the other artist - who did multiple portraits of Hoxha - gives the impression of being a communist or maybe a communist sympathizer. So I think some artists were indeed communists, whereas others were apathetic or opposed to it.
Regardless, the title was meant to convey that the genre and period produced captivating works of art. My exact formulation was more to catch people's attention! But I certainly understand and appreciate your point.
Hi Harel
I love your interest in the artwork created during that dark time. You will find that many artists under oppressive regimes have created beautiful art. (check out Hungary and Poland). This is what artists do.
I take strong exception to your title though. Good art is made by good artists... and in all likelihood they were not in alignment with the fascist dictates of their patrons.
Hi Karen,
Thank you for the thoughtful comment! Yes, it seems like even under the worst of conditions, artists can find a way to produce beautiful and inspiring art.
The title was definitely meant to attract attention rather than describe the political leanings of all the artists who worked for Hoxha at the time. On the topic of who was a card-carrying communist as opposed to someone just trying to eke out a living in those difficult times, I recommend reading the Kosovo 2.0 article I linked to. The artist I quoted directly in my article - Arben Basha - was definitely just paying lip service and didn't support the regime, but the other artist - who did multiple portraits of Hoxha - gives the impression of being a communist or maybe a communist sympathizer. So I think some artists were indeed communists, whereas others were apathetic or opposed to it.
Regardless, the title was meant to convey that the genre and period produced captivating works of art. My exact formulation was more to catch people's attention! But I certainly understand and appreciate your point.