| Pollock and After | The Critical Debate ‘Second Edition | ied by Francis Frascina 3 1336 05418 4099 Silko, Ps fe SAN DIEGO PUBLIC LIBRARY st * MISSION VALLEY BRANCH ee London and New Yorkde Nem, Ocwber, Samer, 1987 Chapter 7 Eva Cockcroft ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM, WEAPON OF THE COLD WAR UNDERSTAND WAY A particular art morement become sucesfl under alten set of historical cirimetances requles an ex the seats of patronage and the idcologial needs ofthe powerful. During the Rensance and eater, patronage ofthe arte wen hand a hand with oficial per Artand artists occupied a leary defined place in the sil structre ad Sere specie fonctions in scot. Aer the Indus Revolution, withthe decline ofthe scales, development ofthe gallery system, and rit of te maseuims, the oe of russ became les clearly defined, and the object atte faxbioned increasingly became part of 2 general Now af commodities i 3 markt economy. Arie, no lange having direct contact with the patrons of the arts, eine Hele or no contol svorthe dppston of thei wor nn rejecting the materialise values of bourgeois roety and indulging bn the myth tht they could exist ently outside the dominant cukure sn bohemian ‘neives, want garde atts generally refused to recogni or accept thee rule a rodaces ofa cultural commodity” Ars rel, expel inthe United Sates many rts abdicated responailty both othr omn sonoml nterest aid othe was nation of {o which tel artwork as put ser entered the makeplcs, large their role to Become mote thin mere pot tori of pst srt, and began to exhibit and collet contemporary art, Particle In the United Steer, mazcume bocame a dominant fet on the art scene, In ‘many ways, American maeums came to fll the role ef ecil patronage — but without accountability to anyone but themselves. The U.S. muscarn, nls its European counterpart, developed primarily a» priate institution, Founded and supported bythe glans of industry and finance, American museums ere ftp On the model f thelr corporate parents. To this dy they ate governed largely by ell perpetuating boards of trues composed primarily of rich donors Ie i these Museums, fr tel part, ‘se Ane xref the Cl er dfn, 2-1, per Reply pm a i er fos148 eva cookcnorr boards of trates ~ often the same ‘prominent clizes” who control banks sd ‘orportions and help shape the formltion of farsi policy — which umstely ‘etermine museum policy, hie and fire directors, and to which th profesional ffs held accountable. Examination of the rsngwiceesof Abstract Eapessonsm fn America after World War therefore, ental cosieration ofthe role of the leading museum of contemporary art ~ The Muscum of Modern Art (MOMA) and the ideclgial needs of it ices daring pri of virulent antcommaniom al an ixenaying ‘cold wa In an article ened ‘American Pantag During the Cold War publihed in the May, 1973 issue of dram, Max Koda! pointe out the simiary becen ‘id war short and the ay many: Absit Expres art phrased their existent individual crete, However, Kodlel fill to examine ‘the fll import ofthis seri nsigh, cling inead at "his wat a colnedenee tat must surely have gone snneticed euler and le alike" Not. Links betwen eltral cold war plies andthe yea -ExprEIog lum ar by no means coincidental or unnoticeable, They ny eongoul large te time by some of the most induentlFigorercontroldg-miseupolces and docatng enlightened cold war tats derigned to woo Europea intelectual “The pola relatonship between Abstract Expression and the cold waren ‘be cealy perceived through the tternationl programs of MOMA. Asa tastemsker fn the sphere of contemporary American ar, the Impact of MOMA ~ 3 major opporterof the Abstract Expression movement ~ can hardy be oretestinate In this content, he fact that MOMA har always been & Reckfeller-dominated inst, tion becomes particularly relevant (ther mies financing the muscur, akhough to a lesser extent thin the Rockefeller, incude the Whitnys, Paley, Bes, Warburg, and Lewisohn) MOMA was founded in 1929, mainly rough the efforts of brs, John D. Rockefeller, jn 1939, Nelson Rockefeller bees president of MOMA. Although Nelson vacated the MOMA presdeny in 1940 to become Pretlent Roonevels wortnator of the Ofice of Incr American Asis and later stan sseetary of sute for Latin American ars, he domasted the muscu throyghout the 19404 snd 1950s, returning to MOMA's presidency in 1946 Inthe 1960s and (9704 Daxsd Rockefeller and irs. John D. Rockefller, 3rd, assumed the responsibilty of the museum forthe family, At these time, almost every sceretary of ste air the end of World War Il rght upto the present, as been a indvial tained aed groomed by the various foundations and agencies conrelled or mansged bythe Rockefellers. The development of American col war pice was dey shaped by the Rockefeller in pariclr and by expanding corporations and ban a general (@ssid Rockfelleris alo charman of the board of Chase Manhattan Baty the Financial enter of the Rockefeller dynasty), The invlsement of The Muscum of Modern Artin Ameria foreign policy became unmistakably clear during World War In June, 1941 a Central Pres wie story chimed MOMA asthe ‘atest and strangest recruit n Uncle Sam's defense line-up.’ The sory quoted the Chairman ofthe Mucus Bord of Tastes, Jon ay Whitne on how the Museum could serve a wespon for national defeaeto hci, Inspr and strengthen the heart nd wile of fee men a defers af elt ‘own feedom." Whitney spet the ar years working forthe Ofice of Sewegerol banks and 4h lime « proferenal Expresiontem he role ofthe (MoMA) abled in arity between flonat arte Mo examine ‘ colnidene sects cold war san Aa mjor imate In nated ns tm, although eye, Bliss, Mes. Joho D. AK, Acbough 1 Roseret's f sseretay of ut the 1340. 19m, paral of tte she Aine and by the ‘ty shapely kein general an Bank, the orcign poley ‘I Pre ams defense asters, Jn tldsfoneto Fengs of tht ‘of Strategic TT ABSTRACT EXPRESSIOWISM, WEAPON OF THE COLD WAR 149 Services (05S, predecessor of CIA), a id many another notable old warrior (6, Wile Whitman Restos). In 1967, Whitney's charity tram was exposed as 3 CIA conduit (New York Tins, Fshranry 25, 1967), Throvghout the carly 1940 MOMA ‘ngage in a nmber of war-elated programs which atthe pater for it ter ets a a key nstaton inthe cold wr, Primarily, MOMA became minor war contract, fulfilling 38 contracts for cultural materials totaling $1,590,236 forthe Library of Contes, the Ofc of War Information, and expeclly Neon Rockefellers Offce of the Coordinator of Inter-American Alara, For Nelson's Inter-American fas Office, “mother's tmuscum’ put together 19 exhbiions of contemporary American painting which were shipped around Lain Ameria, an ares in whch Nebon Rockefeller had ‘developed his most lcrave vestments ~ eg. Creole Peolam, a subsidiary of Standard Oil of New Jerzy, and the single mast Important economlc interest a dllich Venezuela ‘After the ar, st from the Inter: American Airs Ofice were transfered MOMA's foreign acivitie René d’Harnoncourt, who had proven himself an expert inthe organization andintalltion of at exhibits when be helped American ‘Ambassador Dwigh Morrow cultivate the Mexican murals at the time Mexico's ‘al nationalism threatned Rockefllr ol fteevts, wat apport head of the art fection of Neon Office of Intsr-Americon Airs in 194). A year Liter, be ws brought to MOMA a vice-president in charge of foreign activites. In 1949, ‘Harnoncourt became MOMA’s director. The man sho veto direct MOMA’s {nteratonal programs in the 1950s, Porter A. McCray, lo worked inthe Office of Inter Americ Afirs during the war. ‘McCray sa particule powerful and eflctve man Inthe History of cultural imperial He vs tralned sean archtet a ale Univers ae introduced to the Rockefeller orbit through Rockefellers architect Wallace Harraon Afer the war, Neleon Rosalie brought MeCray into MOMA a director of creating exhibits From 1546 to 1949, wl the Muneum was without dicetr MeCray served a rember of MOMA's coordinating committe. In 1951, McCray ook years leave (fabeece fom the Muscum to werk forthe exlibitins secon of the Marshall Pan in Pare. 1952, when MOMA's international program was launched wih five-year rant of $625,000 from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, MeCray became lector, He continued in tht job, poing on to bead the program expanded tersion, the International Council of MOMA (1956), during some of the most, traci yar ofthe cold war, According to Rll Lys, in his omprohensive new ‘ook Geo Old Modan: dn Tint Porto th cum of Mare de, the purpore o | [MOMA'sincenational program war oer plist ee te known especially ln Europe that America as notte altura backwater tht the Rusine, uring thst tense period elle “the col wa” were tying fo demontrate tra” 'MOMA's inerntions program, under McCray dectortp, provided ex ‘ons of contemporary American att — primarily the Abarat Expresionists — for International exbitions in London, Pars, Sto Paulo, and Telye (i aso brought foreign shows tothe United Stats. it asumed aquatic sharscter, providing the ‘US, representation” in shows where mos mations were represnted by fgerament sponsored exhibits. The U.S. Governments dicatics in handing the delcte ie of fee apeech and free artistic expression, generated y the150 eva cockerorr chy hysteria the early 1950, mae nese and comeniot for MOMA toss trol of international representation fer the United Sse. For tcample the Sate Department refed oak te rerponity fr U.S. represen. {Boone Venice Baal, perhaps th most important of ienational ara polva are event, wher all the Earopen counties ining the Soviet Urion “fonpted fr ctrl honors MOMA Boog the U.S. prion n vere nd oak sok responsi forthe exons om 1954 to 1962 Ths war teeny ee privtly owned (stead of government owned) pasion atthe Venice Bion “The CIA, primary through the aces of Thomas W. Brads, ko wae ce Inti cold war cultural elfen Braden, in fc, presen once agin the pore santtle of The Mascum of Modern Artin the cold war Before ‘cing the CIA ln 1980 to supernatural acts from 1951 to 1956, Baden had been MOMA's execu secretary fom April 1348 to November 1849 In defense of ‘spol ela sci, Braden publbed an article Ym Gind the CIA i “Irmo Inthe May 20, 1967 nc of Sad Evening Poe. Aording to rade, stligiroe ocabrs ofthe gornmcntal baeseray soci the 1950 at “disntngopoea within barack of ogreient on tow dsenta ‘cold be a oie propaganda weapon sree. Hower aid witoomerenit in Congreve acl the nation srs whole made oficial sponsorship of many cl [Precip Braen's nore, the tea tat Corer woul ne Spyored of many of our project war abst a ily a the Jo Birch sce Spyovng medicare” As the 1967 expos reveled, the CiA funded hos of “ltl programs sd incellectal ndenors fom the Natonl Sent Asocaton {ENS 10 Enouner magarne sd name Tea known “ial and sci ‘rome, Ind cukutl el, for expe, CUA wets fr to fund Paris tour ofthe Beso Sysiphony Orchestra a 1952. Ths was done, secordng Braden, to od ‘heseere secur recone imposed by the US. Congres, nich would have reed scary darance forever bt aan in ordrt rece oicl als ‘the tour, ‘Dace anyone thik it congresmen woul oer arg tou by on {artut who as or hd had lfwng connections” Brn kl in ls ari to ‘isis the owed for CA feng "The mney it well spent, Bran seri, ‘aie ‘the Boman Syaphony Ochs con more asf de Sn Pari tha Job Foster Dulles or Dwight D. Emenhower could hae Bought with 3 dhoiredspeechen” At ths onample sggess, CIA's parpos of mpportng intrsaoo!itllacel snd alu aie were mt nied fo capomge © “Citing contact nth eng foreign tllctnis More cri, Th soap o inthence the foreign itll commanity and to presenta trong propagneds imge of the United Stats ar "foe sey or opposed tothe opined” “commana Hoc “he fanctons of both CIA's undercover ail operons and the Madern Mucus intratonal programs were sini, Freed from the kins of pcsre of nal red-ing ac sper jingoizm appli to ofc govementl agencies like he United Sits information Agency (USIA, CIA and MOMA call po jee could provide the well fund snd ore peraaaie arguments and exis ‘coed to al thers ofthe word on he Benefteof ie and srtunder cata, Inthe world of rt, Abarat Expressonin const the ea tle for these by ia for afer teak Jnion i took ots pore us ber, tat den reba ale hear ve be sof i sta = = os al a aa mat ie rent iat = sera tre af e- albte these ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM, WEAPON OF THE COLD WAR 151 trp tts, ct ne tin {itaton” mature svat elnino, hl cen sly ag at ergy Absa Expres cold how the Untied Se hey ayn coment aT spate bene Plc, reas ms ofthe ser nape Amero ai ed Ibn! caer inert pala svi Thr cage tas mailed Ine orton of thc fedraon of Moda Paterand Seporsin 193,» poup wich nuded sen! of te Abaan Express. Fad ln opoiton toh play Sottted Aras Congo th net Fein nas le arte oye ond, were “rested more nsec tn nll at.” On the Sordi ear pl vena of some of te Absa Expres as Tay tr ging congestion! spre gocrment-spmnared cl tut prot Ont heh am cll arp a occ ages to cntoes plc sch sly ots he ae thee et ‘os popogids ocapon in domontrng he etc of eclom of epson in dpb ty Teed ati ‘cng ofa of Amer, Abc Expres pining na ctpnel reste re We being Wien de Kooning vk snd romeo the ene Bele wert 388, 3 1250 he nase y fre Gry sl Plo, The Uren a Se Bema 0 Pls begin 381 erg tes Abe Expres Sts por hon They wee she sotxned ean sere tna yey 186 ON sa ced Mer rey ca. tng works by 12 Absa. Expres (ante, Gor Guan, Haig, de lou, Kine, Mathrll Pek, Rosi, Seon, Sand To) ed Cig Eten Stn ng Vows wl Bae ht tem el groped Toe of oth ti Ca esl par al MOMA's nnn pogo Wer sar ad in fa, muta spor. As decor of NOMA Intraion aces Gougout he 1502, Fite Meta chon creat goer oy ctBe ed the CA seed te ces fhe Ross and ee caro lems In Se Seven rg cas Missed one othe Rote man agents fr progr for hcp of Ameren ele oars cored sta to Rectal: Et Aris daring the war, Europe imme aie ‘ars tft orl rege 195 a8" 96 A fn 962-83 Ici andorocks yea’ tet aA nd Anand te jot ups fi Site Deprtnen and HOMA I Othe 1963, shen Aad becomes pare isl efor te Unt St, ery kh MOM tbe or of they 0. Rector Se Pat © eyed eae echnge progam Steal pecially “oe Us Gra ti cud rte ec ral inp im sone rng roll not lat cay ape fe enn pbk were 19S arte mano hc UIA he selon red ES IMONA, ne, 1986 ash ping y Aeron ans cl py dpe ys feral or Sis wo set oe hewn csuncee ‘vie Opopc Gomer Aas el eb ccd se song pros Dal, a, where sta tore blr big sem sre 8152 EVA cookenorr “The govenment is lory of anything so controversial as art ant ham peed by the dscrediable interference on the prt of sore potilans who are completely apatheticto art except when they encounter Some: thing realy significant -. Some of the Immediate projects wich the Council isting over financially are United Sates portation in thee major International art exibition and show af modern paeting to trael in Europe ‘This major show of American painting was prodhced two years ber by MOMA's International Counell ar “The New American Painting” an chisrte twavelng exhibition ofthe Abstract Expressionist. The exhibition, sich incldd ‘comprehensive extalogue by the prerigtous Alle H, Barr, J, toured eight Euro, ean countries in 1958-59. Bar's introduction tothe catalogue exemplified the ‘old war propaganda role of Abatract Expresonst rt, the der po Asth porta essing tasters theierace Guggenh these are Guggenbe 987, Ha 945. sons at ar the prom tre set or oman Union, B vellasth Inbie batt atisides However, ‘ould be Esp tehind'th fovernme Cracow, sen dur ream in tse e+ ou aide, cexibitor the nt Hav ielion Ri lise thoseABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM, WEAPON OF THE COLD WAR 153 Indeed one often hears Exstentilist echoes in their words, but th anxiety,” thelr commitment, ther ‘dread Greedorn’ concern tr work primary. The deftly reject the caventonal sauce of te society which sureounds them, but they ae ot policy engage etn ‘Gough thet pelnings have been pried and condemned at ajc demonstrations of freedom in 3 world in which freedom connote 3 peel atitade, Asthedirecor of MOMA from ts inception uni 194, Bare waste singe mos rmportant man in shaping the Museum's artic character and determining the ‘Sia fle ef ese hercn ar sow moana Bt et Going NOMA dren rena oe be Na png tScter He app of Abe Ernie ws pyedan nucle ‘ture on tos w HOMA, Br nastn suse her gy ge, we Seat ocd of Ths Cony Caley gre oe SE Teac der ker per owe i te ear cb ay Gagged anna ons con Polskie BE SEE tn dn 844, oert Motel 4 an Mek Rab Shar woes oa he ort a ne ie present Eisner inal weing neve die sonee bce pal os sea tbr necopyce he Ak hor Ya Sy tur len real warn plc are eid fe poneuas sel expat of fuss frpeacn ape ae Seiibe ches bi reanopene fader oan sft Eanes Excel ana Psa doer ht ctty ot ten, or suc re Got tle sn Reon ogee | ¢ oc ot oben an pce ies Ss tells Boncosofte esha wala sbretan wh commany whisttiopun elperant rg eing erly ace rea fenced ld wars he Cs bss od MONAT Hct Honor ine sof NOMA coat plc ate deseo Cl treme tae srg nf hse CMs dopa Tall prtac op isp of ce Rote ie vel" fan” During te le Sal rn 1356, then Pl {nen ner Goma ee mar icles Kno a a om Exo nprned by le wok of Pl nr srs wh he al dusegin ark phe ipa tad heroes ny bees ihe fatal replant Bes os moreno ‘ae tka oP sind of decopmeat ncn amps Gera a3, Karat aoe Papers wre eens] lion at MONA Expl sone eet eee oe alin The Siena oper MoMA Taney ees Sanh ugh MOMA poring el on fier ered on nthe 4 each Cee Se fee ia eae! compe Cone or ecAmerea Rate oe Tet nicl by Redline an af ce Kean eer snv 154 eva cockenort Ameria, the Counc adv the US, Government on frcgn policy even at dost the older and more inlsatia! Council on Foreign Relations (headed by David Rockefeller, the CFR ie where Henry Kissinger bean irs to power), The Center for lterAmerican Relations represents a thinly veld clr artempt to woo back respect from Latin Amer in the aftermath ofthe Cuban Revolution and the ‘dgracefl Bay of Pigs and Misl Cri incidents nite Park Avenue ofces of former mansion donated bythe Rockeele fly, the Center offers exlbis of Lain American art and guest ecuresby leading Latin Amerken pastes apd intel Iccuns Like the Jn D. Rockefeler 3rd Fund for Asa, the Center yet anther link ns continuing and expanding cain of Rockefeller dominated imperil “The alleged separton of art from polities proclaimed throughout the “ree world with the resurgence of sbatraction afer Worl War was part «general tendency in nllctal cls towards object. So arign wo the newly devel ‘oping apolital new of te 1950s wa the Wea of polit commitment ~not only {art but als to many ther intellectual ~ tht one socal Nstornn, Duel Bel, ccnuily was to procaim the postwar period ar "the end of ideology.” Abstract Expresionlm neatly Fs sho necdt of thi supposedly new historic epoch, By ving thei iting an indviait emphasised ciminatng recognizable subject mater, the Abstrart Expressions succeeded im eresting an important nei 9 ‘movement, They ako contributed whether they know to not, to purely politcal phenomenon ~ the supposed divorce between art and politics which so pelety erved Ameri's nocd inthe cold wa, “Atemptsto claim tht tye of at are politically neutral when there sno overt politcl mbject matter ae simplistic as Dondero attacks on ll abate rt a “rabversve,"nellgent and sophia cold warrior like Braden and his fellows in the CIA recognized thr disendng intellectuals who believe themacles to be acting rely could be ase too inthe International propspunda wat Rich and powerful patrons ofthe ats, men lke Rockeele and Whitney, who conel the ‘museums and help overses foreign polly, also reogaize the talue of ealtre the pola arena, The att crete fly. But his work is promoted and wed by others for thelr own surpass, Rockefller, through Bart snd others ab the “Museum bis mother founded snd the Fly controled, conscouly wed Abstract Expresiolam, ‘he synba of polial freedom,’ for politi ends Notes 1 Ched in Rus Lyme, Good OU Maken, New Yor, 1973, 233 2 For Palle’ conmectonr withthe Communit Party soe Francs ¥. O'Conner, Joc Plc No York, 1967, pp 4 21, 25, al Harold Roneber, "The Search for Jackson Pollock, drt Ne, February, 1961, p 58. The queso here mat ‘whaler at selon alo a, fled with the Commu Prt in ‘he 1930s, bt, ply, there were enough fring” connections to make i policy sapect tbe eyes fright wingcongrmcs, 3. Fora mare complete history of the rightwing sev aunt atin the 1950s ad We ole of Donde ce Willam Haupiman, “The Soppresion of Art in the MeCarhy Dee" djrom, October, 1973, pp 8-52. chapters Jan ART AM upLic a81New Cold Wir ye of at and xchange pet strate eth twee theme hat this ef ‘domestics ‘nade of cor Congresenae works rflee iri. Lae hey demane mater bebe (oder really thre © in predonine to the pric what hey pe silstions ol to Fk Heo specie wor MMe ea