click image to enlarge
Quarantine coif
Artwork Title: Generale
Artist: Enrico Baj
1961, oil on canvas, Gift in honor of Dr. and Mrs. Joseph A Gosman, 1969/2.107
Artist Enrico Baj created many satirical, chaotic images of war generals from the 1930s and 1940s, overtly politicizing his art and turning "strong men" into silly spectacle. Along with a few contemporaries, he founded the arte nucleare movement, which looked to create art that warned of the dangers of atomic weapons and nuclear technology.

Reflection Prompts:
  • In several states, hair salons and barbershops have become a site of political protest in recent weeks. Can you see ways in which Baj's work depicting war generals has relevance as commentary on these protests?
  • Baj practiced "automatism," or creating art without conscious thought, similar to free association hand writing. How does this approach and style lend itself to the satirical nature of his images? What is he saying about these generals when he chooses loud color choices and chaotic patterns?
The Virtual Salon

With his salon closed for business, barber Darryl Wyatt now goes virtual with remote hairstyling. Watch him recreate the magic of his shop online.

Stories in Place is a collection of videos from filmmakers that chronicle small businesses as they navigate a world in flux. Curated by video sharing site Vimeo, "the idea behind Stories in Place is simple: empower Vimeo’s community of creators to do what they do best (tell great stories) and shine a light on the small businesses that they love."
Support UMMA

Your generous donations enable UMMA's online initiatives. Thank you!
© 2020 UMMA, All rights reserved.