Contemporary culture, and by that I am referring to the paintings and sculptures, audio-visual media and literature that have developed in the wake of the Industrial Revolution, bears the evidence of the present. Over the last 200 years profound changes in manufacturing and a focus on profits, have changed the face of economics and politics as well as the culture. This was a massive leap that was unlike anything else ever before seen in history, radically expanding human capabilities, resulting in world-wide variations in development and wealth. It was a powerful time when European as well as North American nations plundered other regions of the globe. In the post-cold-war period an entirely new model of globalisation was developed, supported by the West as well as its political organizations and multinational corporations. tyranny of capitalism, The discourses on culture and politics are driven by the need to earn money. The borders that once were used to define territories do not be in existence anymore.
This is all reflected in the culture of our time. It is heavily influenced by profit-driven corporations that have a tremendous influence over our economic and educational structures, political systems, and the media. Their influence is evident in the society’s values aesthetic education, philosophy and values. The landscape of culture is defined by the framework of Western capitalism as well as its notions of democracy, freedom and a small amount of socialism. A comprehensive system has been created which spans from the development of aesthetics in these circumstances and through the process of cultural education, art criticism , and the curatorial practices of museums and galleries, to the final entry of artworks into the story that is Western the history of art. This system represents the aesthetic and values of capitalism in all aspects.
Culture under capitalism:
The art of painting isn’t a mirror of the society but it is shaped by social production, and is unable to be a refuge from the enslavement of the capitalist system, claims Chris NinehamThe ideas in the book provide a refreshing read. A lot of art-related writing is a bit dull because it is either focused on generalizations of beauty, genius, or something else, or concentrates on the technical aspects or influence on the other artists.Only seldom do art critics tie artworks to the circumstances within which they were created and examine their relationship to the world around them in order to reveal the influence they have on the world. As with many other Marxist artists before Molyneux, Molyneux concentrates on these connections, which makes the text fascinating.
Thinking about art this manner is to acknowledge a fact that is undisputed that creating art is a process that involves a community. Every art work is created under specific circumstances, and the different views and emotions it reveals are a reflection of how society operates and the thoughts that are circulating within it. The art of making cannot reduce itself to circumstances that it was created in however, not examining it as such is a method of erasure or mystification that will make the works of art more difficult to appreciate.
