the SWASTIKA as a symbol in your art

[tyboogie]

THE SWASTIKA--


i went to this art show recently and an artist had done a warhol-esque piece with four squares of different neon colored swastikas--and a girl was walking around the show with one of his shirts that had a neon swastika on it--and i asked a friend i was with what he thought of it. He said he liked it because it was defacing a defaced symbol--but then i started thinking about it--and i was thinking "is that a symbol that should be defaced again--or should it be a constant reminder?"



i would really like to get some feedback from conceptart on what they think of this symbol in art--and it uses. Any experiences, info, ideas or personal opinions would be appreciated-----ty

[Coma]

I think those who use it for anything BUT nazi reference are idiots. Unless it is a symbol that is part of their culture, and has nothing to do with nazi Germany.

People that use it to be "controversial" or whatever disgust me.

The fact is the original meaning of the symbol was lost when Nazis corrupted it by using it as their insignia.

I'm sure there is not one person who still looks at it in it's pure original form.

READ: http://www.luckymojo.com/swastika.html

[cucaracha]

Coma's right, to use a swastika in images just to get some attention is disgusting.

Originally, its a positive symbol. Just think of Tibet or India, it's used very often there.
I travelled to Croatia in the holidays and went to a museum of ancient art and history.
I saw ritual stones - 4600 years old - with swastikas on it.

But - nowadays, it stands for the 3rd reich and perverted cruelty.

It shouldn't be used unless it's absolutely necessary.

cu

[gekitsu]

well... as with using certain things to just beg for attention is weak. i won't say disgusting but weak.
that is not only for swastika, it's also for other things. blood, nudity, red stars, you name it.

as for the symbol itself: as cuca pointed out, it is a positive symbol, it stood for self-propagation as far as i know. nevertheless, it is linked to germany's dark era (i still think every country has one), now.

i have no idea what people outside germany are thinking about it (obviously, the whole thing isn't seen as closely) but inside germany, one is still "forbidden" to think of the 3rd reich as a finished epoque.
as long as nobody changes that, no rational discussion about the whole topic is possible, here.

i, anyway, see this era as closed file and gone. we have to learn our part out of it, both, positive and negative sides.

using the symbols for historical accuracy isn't bad, me thinks. you don't get corrupted in soul because of painting swastika.
as for aesthetical issues, that's everyone's own taste. i personally find the symbol to be a very powerful one. it certainly has its aesthetic value...

[LEN]

A very powerful subject. My opinion on the matter is that the artist is just going for an easy responce. Though to copy andy warhol in the attempt is insulting in an of itself just from an originality standpoint. I must agree with the statement that this is weak. I cannot speak for the artist who made this statement but I feel that myself personally does not have the right to even attempt a statement like this one. I don't feel that it is my place. My place is to listen to those who lived under that symbol ( one way or another) and learn from them and never forget. Perhapse the artist was trying to desensatize the veiwer to the symbol, but in doing this one risks denying a great tradgety. and worse yet denying alot of peoples pain and suffering. I only know of one nazi symbol : its black surrounds by a white dot in the middle of a red field, it's as simple as it is horrible and nothing can change that and nothing should.

Just my two cents.

[tyboogie]

some good responses here--pretty much articulating my own viewpoint as well. I personally have never used it or would, but all artists have their own voice. There is a fear though that to try to change the symbol back or remove its nazi ties would allow for future generations to forget the holocaust quicker--which is completely valid. Humans have a tendency to recommit atrocities and not learn from history's mistakes--so the swastika is a good reminder of our species potential for mass genocide.
having said that though, and seeing as how id probably never use the symbol because of all the emotional ties, i also strongly agree that no symbol, subject, etc. should be off limits, so lets stretch our brains alittle here and explore the use this symbol could or has had in peoples art. Anyone have any experiences of seeing contemporary art that used this symbol in a non-traditional way? and what kind of effect did it have?
----ty