Art Geopolitics Review

Zikopoulos Efstratios

PhD Candidate in Geopolitics

MSc Geopolitics and International Security

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Athens,

3/1/2025

GEOPOLITICS AND CONTEMPORARY ART

Translation, Commentary, and Documentation Modernization on the book by FRANCES STONOR SAUNDERS «The Cultural Cold War The CIA and the World of Arts and Letters» (in Greek)

author and curator: I. Th. Mazis

Editor: I.Th. Mazis Leimon Publications – ATHENS 2024

Cover Artwork: Jackson Pollock

One: Number 31, 1950. Oil and enamel paint on canvas, (269.5 × 530.8 cm)

Book Review:

The way to carry out good propaganda is never to appear to be carrying it out at all.

Richard Crossman

The book “Contemporary Art and Geopolitics”, (in Greek), offers an original and highly substantiated approach to the relationship between aesthetic creation and international strategies. The author, known for his rationalism and mathematical mindset, delves into a subject traditionally perceived through the lens of subjectivity and emotion: Art. However, his perspective does not focus on the nature or essence of artistic creation but on how Art is manipulated and instrumentalized within geopolitical contexts.

Based on his theory of Systemic Geopolitical Analysis, which relies exclusively on measurable, demonstrable data, the author incorporates Art into the Cultural Pillar of Geopolitics, alongside Religions and Propaganda. His central argument is that contemporary art, rather than being an independent expression of creativity, often functions as a tool for ideological direction, social engineering, and political influence. His study highlights cases in which art has been strategically employed to construct narratives, promote cultural hegemonies, and reinforce specific geopolitical agendas.

Of particular significance is the methodological rigor of the author. By integrating data, statistical analyses, and diachronic comparisons, he deconstructs the romanticized notion of art as a purely personal and spiritual expression. He presents cases where state entities, institutions, and economic elites have supported or promoted specific artistic movements to achieve political or economic goals.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the work is that, despite his strictly scientific approach, the author does not dismiss artistic creation but seeks to rationalize it. As a visual artist and poet, himself, he understands the power of emotions but chooses to approach them with the tools of analysis and structured thought. This dual perspective gives the book a distinctive character, bridging the gap between science and art.

In conclusion, “Contemporary Art and Geopolitics” represents a significant contribution to the field of cultural geopolitics. It offers a well-documented and critical perspective on the use of art as a tool of power, avoiding both excessive aestheticization and absolute cynicism. This work is addressed not only to academics in social and political sciences but also to artists, art historians, and readers who seek to understand the interaction between aesthetics and strategic thinking in the modern world.

Professor Mazis points out that

“This does not, of course, mean that we dismiss artistic evolution and its morphological expressions. We do not place blame on Contemporary Art per se. However, we prefer and choose that the quality of Art and the artistic work produced be what makes an artist renowned, rather than some intelligence agency operating under the guise of its own construct, which in this case is the Congress for Cultural Freedom—with its ‘organized collaborators’ (Museums, Galleries, Orchestras, International Exhibitions, and enormous sums from ‘collectors’ who keep the artwork they purchased for an average of 33 days (!) before reselling it).”

Besides,

“the author and curator of this work holds a perspective on the Visual Arts (as a student at the Athens School of Fine Arts and through his engagement with the diverse and differing views of his esteemed Teachers/Colleagues), without claiming to ‘rightly divide the Word of Truth,’ but rather aiming to contribute to a reflective discussion with serious historical evidence regarding contemporary developments in the field of Art.”[1]

[1] From the preface of the book.