The simple power of Ben Shahn

Artist-activist Ben Shahn's work still retains it's power today. Economic line-work, strong and deliberate, but imbued with a fragility that fills his subjects with humanity. He constantly displayed a willingness to look upon many facets of the world with love, compassion, dignity, equality, playfulness and wonder, coupled with a determination to not shy away from depicting life on the other side of the coin. He spent the majority of his working life dedicated to this end, shedding light on the much-maligned, forgotten members of society: post-war veterans struggling to find work; people with mental illnesses locked up in institutions; victims of government oppression; all were dealt equal care and compassion by Shahn's inked-up pen and blotter. His strong socialist principles led him to only take on work with a personal or social significance, yet he remained commercially successful and managed to make art that resonated far beyond the galleries and art-director clubs.

The events of the past week and the realisation that a Trump presidency is the result of forgotten, marginalised Americans making their voices heard has led me to think we need artists like Ben Shahn more than ever.

Scans are from:

1 - 15 Image: A Quarterly of the Visual Arts, Autumn, 1949

16 - 19 Voices anthologies, Penguin Education, 1968

20 - 25 Prints & Posters of Ben Shahn, Dover, 1982

Sister Saviour!

Sister Corita Kent

I was reminded of the genius of Sister Corita Kent on two occasions recently. Firstly Julian House's stunning artwork for latest Ghost Box release Hintermass' The Apple Tree, which echoes her graphic style wonderfully. Secondly this instalment of NTS Radio's Time is Away show, which mixes sunshine folk with snippets of her inspiring wisdom on life and creativity. 
Sadly she still remains a somewhat sidelined exponent of American pop art, using popular culture references and appropriating consumerist slogans to communicate spiritual, social and political ideas as early as 1962. Her use of screen printing helped popularise it as a fine art medium. 
She taught at the Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles until 1968, creating an exciting and progressive creative environment, whose active members included John Cage, Saul Bass, Buckminster Fuller and Charles & Ray Eames. I love her work, but the photographs documenting her teaching practice and amazing exhibition design blow me away every time, see below:

Scans are from Graphis 151 and Come Alive! The Spirited Art of Sister Corita by Julie Ault, published by Four Corners Books. There is a great Tumblr featuring lots of her graphic work here.