Art for Peace
by Elizabeth King
This article originally appeared in theWinter 2025-26 issue of Art with Altitude.
Art is a peaceful language; an external expression of our innermost thoughts and feelings. As creators of art, it feels good to be expressive, whether or not we let our art out for the world to see. As viewers of art, we often find connection in how art makes us feel. It can affirm or challenge the way we view the world and it can connect us to other people going on the same inner journey.
What is it that makes art such a good vehicle for exploring thoughts and feelings? Perhaps it is the interpretive nature of many artistic expressions that leaves just a little bit, or a lot, open to the viewer. Or maybe it’s the way the artist can choose the medium based on their message and audience: fleeting or lasting, loud or soft, bold or subtle, clear or hidden. These qualities make art a unique vehicle for political expression as well.
I think we’re probably all familiar with Banksy, the anonymous street artist who uses spray paint, stencils and secrecy to express his ideas and critiques about the state of society and government. While London-based, his art has become both famous and infamous through his installations across the world. The pieces that make it into galleries sell for thousands with some going for millions of pounds. While Banksy himself is active across the world, he has many contemporaries across the globe who use street art to express their thoughts. However, in many locales, graffiti is illegal, resulting in many pieces sprayed onto public property being cleaned up, covered over or otherwise destroyed. And yet others are vandalized by other artists or removed for the message they send: often controversial commentary on the state of the world. Of the pieces that no longer exist, many have been photographed and all live on in the memories of the viewers– the people who saw the art, felt the message and carry it forward.
Art as political commentary isn’t limited to spray paint and anonymity, though. The Sound of Music is a great example of cinema as commentary on politics, war and government. While the first half of the film focuses largely on Maria’s arrival and the von Trapp family adventures, the second half takes place as the characters grapple with the rise of the Nazi Party in
Austria. While subtle at times, the von Trapp family’s resistance and perseverance is a key message in the film. Watching The Sound of Music, viewers are presented with the sacrifices and endurance of the characters as they strive to uphold their moral principles while the rise of the Nazi’s challenged the morals of many. The next challenge the viewer faces is the self-reflection of what choices they would make given a similar situation. As the von Trapps escape over the mountains into Allied territory, there is hope that this act of resistance matters and that others making the same choices matter, too. We know the Nazi regime was ultimately unsuccessful, but even without that knowledge, hope abounds in the film’s final scene.
Another frequent form of political art is war-time propaganda. World War II prompted many artists to use their platforms to motivate their political allies and governments even enlisted artists to create messaging on their behalf. Rosie the Riveter is a popular example of art in action in the early 1940s in the United States. Originating in a song, but also appearing in print, she called US women to join her in the fight against the Axis powers by fighting on the homefront. The message of women’s empowerment included taking war-time jobs and jobs vacated by men who entered the service. She won hearts and created action in countless US homes, helping keep the US economy moving, factories working and US Troops supplied with provisions.
Along with Rosie the Riveter, several other World War II propaganda art pieces are well-known today. Some of these are perhaps even more well-known now than during the war itself. One of the most popular is the “We Can Do It” poster depicting a US woman worker. Today, she’s often mistaken for Rosie the Riveter and her iconic uniform is recognized by generations. Another is the United Kingdom’s war-time motivational poster which read: “Keep Calm and Carry On.” The poster, as well as riffs on both the poster’s layout and poetic cadence, make appearances still today. Both of these examples served to spread the message of strength and perseverance to help motivate citizens throughout the war.
Art is often a safe way to provide peaceful critique of the government and society both in times of war and in times of peace. Here in the United States, artists are legally protected by the First Amendment, which grants freedom of speech, religion and press. Artists from cartoonists and painters to comedians and musicians use this protection to share their thoughts on government figures, decisions and policies. While the social consequences of speech, and therefore art, is up to the masses, the government is barred from enforcing consequences upon speakers, writers, artists and citizens for their words and ideas, with very few exceptions.
Recently, a statue was erected outside of the White House. At first glance, the statue celebrates and honors the gift of friendship with two humans holding hands and smiling. But some things aren’t always as they seem. The two depicted are President Donald Trump and notorious criminal Jeffery Epstein. As a viewer of this art, each of us is invited to interpret the artists message, decide how it makes us feel and connect with those around us over those thoughts and feelings. Whether this art makes you mad, sad, shocked, joyful or confused, you are likely not alone in those feelings.
Elevate the Arts: Watch The Sound of Music with new perspective, paying attention to how the characters react as their world shifts during the rise of the Nazi regime. EK
