How CIA Used Art Against the USSR

Our historical documentary series on the history of the Cold War continues with a video examining how the CIA used abstract and modern art in its propaganda war against the USSR. The Cold War wasn’t just a battle of ideologies but a competition in every sphere, including art. In this video, we examine how the CIA turned Abstract Expressionism into a weapon of democracy. Starting with an Introduction to Cold War Cultural Warfare, we discuss how art became a battleground for global influence. We contrast Abstract Expressionism vs. Socialist Realism, showing how artists like Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Mark Rothko symbolized freedom and creativity. The CIA’s Covert Cultural Operations secretly funded exhibitions and movements, positioning the U.S. as a hub for innovation. With MoMA and figures like Nelson Rockefeller leading the charge, MoMA and Rockefeller’s Role in Cultural Diplomacy was pivotal. Meanwhile, The Artists’ Unwitting Involvement reveals the irony of these creators being unaware of their role in this geopolitical strategy. Finally, we assess The Legacy of Art as a Weapon of Democracy, showcasing art’s complex role in history.

How the RAND Corporation created American strategy:    • How the RAND Corporation created American ...  
The Nuclear Wannabes: Sweden, Brazil and Argentina:    • The Nuclear Wannabes: How Sweden, Brazil a...  
Israel: the Officially Unofficial Nuclear State:    • Israel: the Officially Unofficial Nuclear ...  
Taiwan Under the Kuomintang Dictatorship:    • Taiwan Under the Kuomintang Dictatorship -...  
What Happened to the German and Japanese POWs?:    • What Happened to the German and Japanese P...  
Operation Paperclip:    • Operation Paperclip - COLD WAR SPECIAL  
German Expulsions:    • German Expulsions After WWII - Cold War DO...  
Soviet Education System:    • Soviet Education System - Cold War DOCUMEN...  
How Khrushchev Fed the Soviet People:    • How Khrushchev Fed the Soviet People  

Support us on Patreon:   / thecoldwar  ,
Youtube membership    / @thecoldwartv  

✔ Merch store ► https://teespring.com/stores/thecoldwar
✔ Patreon ►   / thecoldwar  
✔ Facebook ►   / thecoldwartv  
✔ Instagram ►  / thecoldwartv  

#coldwar #CIA #USSR #AbstractArt

Sources:
Braden, T. W. (1967, May 20). I’m glad the CIA is ‘immoral’. The Saturday Evening Post, 10, 12, 14. Arab Studies Quarterly. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.13169...
Barghoorn, F. C. (1950). Soviet Russia and the arts of peace. Russian Review, 9(1), 51-61. https://doi.org/10.2307/1360716
Cone, M. (1991). The CIA and the cultural cold war revisited. History of the Present, 1(1), 119-125. https://doi.org/10.2307/3600447
Fosdick, H. E. (1948). The arts in American life. Phylon (1940-1956), 9(4), 344-349. https://doi.org/10.2307/20020095
Modern art was CIA weapon. (1995, October 22). The Independent. Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. (n.d.). The CIA and abstract expressionism. Retrieved from https://www.guggenheim-bilbao.eus/en/...
Was modern art really a CIA psy-op? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://daily.jstor.org/was-modern-ar...
CIA. (n.d.). The cultural cold war. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/resources/csi/sta...
Ideelart. (n.d.). Did the CIA fund art? Retrieved from https://www.ideelart.com/magazine/cia...
ArtNet. (2020, September 28). ArtCurious: Was abstract expressionism really a CIA weapon in the Cold War? Retrieved from https://news.artnet.com/art-world/art...
Rangappa, A. (n.d.). Class 8: The CIA and the cultural cold war. Retrieved from https://asharangappa.substack.com/p/c...
Communist Party of Australia. (n.d.). Weaponising culture: The CIA's use of art, literature, and music in the Cold War. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://cpa.org.au/guardian/issue-200...
ArtForum. (n.d.). Abstract expressionism: Weapon of the Cold War. Retrieved from https://www.artforum.com/features/abs...
Sawka, J. (1981). Polish art: Between resistance and adaptation. Art Journal, 41(1), 44-50. https://doi.org/10.2307/1360322
Taruskin, R. (1995). Public lies and unspeakable truth: Toward a politics of shame. 19th-Century Music, 19(3), 244-262. https://doi.org/10.2307/40644870
Schiller, H. I. (1980). The cultural cold war. Monthly Review, 32(1), 25-39. https://doi.org/10.2307/24909963

00:00 - Introduction to Cold War Cultural Warfare
00:54 - The Cold War and the Role of Art
02:01 - Abstract Expressionism vs. Socialist Realism
05:55 - CIA’s Covert Cultural Operations
09:31 - MoMA and Rockefeller's Role in Cultural Diplomacy
14:06 - The Artists’ Unwitting Involvement
17:46 - The Legacy of Art as a Weapon of Democracy