During our class discussion, we talked about how there is a difference between propaganda and art. If I remember correctly, someone described propaganda to be something that influences how someone would normally feel. In that case, we could say that art that tries to make people feel a certain way (i.e. sad, mad, etc.) is also a type of propaganda. Dictionary.com defines propaganda as "information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc."
During World War II, there was a lot of propaganda being spread around both sides. For example, this is propaganda poster for the Allies. It features a very stereotyped "German" with a long nose and fish lips. He looks coldly on the scene of an innocent person being hanged. Surely, one can not argue that this was definitely aimed at influencing how someone viewed Germans and the Axis Powers. However, the first time I ever came across this image was when it was being reprinted and sold as a poster. It was a part of a set of WWII propaganda posters with others such as "Loose Lips Sink Ships" and "Buy War Bonds." In other words, people buy these posters to hang in their homes. I'm sure people go as far as collecting the originals. So, does this mean that these posters cease being propaganda and become art? After all, I'm sure these people aren't buying them because they believe what they say to be true (at least in today's interest.)
So, with time, did these images cease being propaganda and become art? Are they history? I am not sure whether art has to be created with intention or not, but if it doesn't, then it very well could be art. However, can something be propaganda and art at the same time?
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