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Westermann’s art is highly symbolic
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The war-inspired work of American artist H.C. Westermann is now receiving long overdue recognition and dialogue. Westermann’s work is currently on display in an exhibition curated by Michael Rooks entitled “War (What is it Good For?)” at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. Although Westermann’s work, sometimes labeled as “pop art” or “folk art”, has influenced many successful contemporary artists, his work has until recently been overlooked, often criticized as being out of touch with mainstream trends.
Much of the inspiration for Westermann’s work comes directly from his military service in both World War II and the Korean War. It is his exploration of the psychological effects of being directly involved in the act of combat that forms the basis for his work. As such he offers a critical view on the reality and effects of war as well as physical representations of existential disturbances that exist as a result of living in and serving a materialist society.
Combining a depression era work ethic, a background in carpentry and a deep connection to his subject matter, Westermann managed to create a unique aesthetic, which was alienated from the artistic sensibilities of the post-war era. While most cutting edge artwork of the time was in the vein of Abstraction, Westermann was interested in pursuing work that was deeply personal and autobiographical in content. Although Abstraction often had existential roots, as much of Westermann’s work did, he chose to pursue these ideas in a more symbolic way.
Westermann’s pieces have now been rediscovered among postmodern works. The timing couldn’t have been better as Westerman’s reemergence comes during a period of intense debate over war and peace. His works fit this discussion in a way that allows for an effective curatorial statement on war.
Crafted primarily out of building materials such as wood and metal, many of Westermann's three-dimensional pieces are symbolic representations of the body. For instance, he houses the soul within the chest of a metal robot or a wooden building. The significance of this choice in material and representation cannot be overstated, especially in light of recent attacks on symbolic buildings/structures.
Characteristic of Westermann’s work are the anthropomorphosized architectural structures. These works evoke ideas that seem more relevant now to a post 9/11 world. Works such as “Mad House”(1958) and “Memorial to the Idea of Man if Man Was an Idea”(1958) are composed primarily out of wood and metal and both resemble containers and/or buildings, while at the same time, humorously suggest the presence of a soul. Westermann uses these structures metaphorically, acting to illustrate an existential confusion that is a result of the material ambitions of a capitalist nation. Highly autobiographical, “Memorial of the Idea of Man if Man Was an Idea” acts as a self-portrait as a box or a building. The box/building represents his body as a place of internal security; but also a place that is impossible to escape.
One of Westermann’s largest series of works are his “Death Ships”. These pieces take a critical stance on war and were created to memorialize the deaths of his fellow soldiers. The memorials take the shape of meticulously crafted boats, representations of his disgrace and disgust for the deaths that he witnessed. Part of the “Death Ship” series, “Death Ship Run Over by a ’66 Continental”, features a boat shaped coffin fashioned from pine and scarred diagonally across its hull by tire tracks. A shark, alluded to by a black fin, circles the boat, which floats in a sea of U.S. currency. The piece gains its energy and impact through its enclosure in a glass case. The case acts as a way of ensuring the permanence and importance of Westermann's vision.
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Primarily known for his three-dimensional work, Westermann has also been recognized recently for his print-making in a retrospective of his two-dimensional works entitled “See America First”. Although lacking in the voluminous, architectural qualities of Westermann’s three-dimensional work, the prints remain just as critical of Western culture, just as disillusioned with war and still as removed from the fashion of his time. Westermann’s work has increased in significance and potency as the years have passed and is being recognized now as it reflects attitudes of a dissenting public that questions the necessity of war.
Westermann’s work, along with works done by other contemporary international artists curated in the theme of anti-war can be seen in the exhibition “War (What is it Good For)” until May 18th at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago Illinois, USA.
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