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If often happens that engaged art, or rather the art with a message, is grounded on demagogical
motives, exploiting the reactionary technique of effects and as such used for propaganda
purposes. But, not all art with a message is kitsch. The way socialists, patriots, sportsmen, and
situations that lead to socialist, war or peaceful solutions cannot be banned from the artists
choice of themes. But their presentation should be the way they really are, rather than the way
they would like them to be. That is what most commonly leads to the emergence of kitsch the
replacement of ethical with the aesthetic category, which imposes pretty work upon the artist,
rather than work well done. Therefore kitsch does not present the world as it really is it
rather presents it the way people want it to be, or the way they are afraid of it. While kitsch in
art shows an analogue tendency, and in music it lives exclusively thanks to effects.
An example of an undeveloped consumer culture regulated by the state was the case of Soviet
Union. In Stalins times something called the democratic luxury was formed. The products that
emulated the models and articles such as Champaign, cognac, caviar, chocolate, perfume, which
were appreciated and considered to be a part of the world of high society, no doubt we can
label as kitsch. The propaganda message was clear; every soviet worker lives as a real aristocrat
or a member of bourgeoisie. At the same time the fact was that there was a great deficiency in
basic needs, like bread.
One of the primary mediums of propaganda in Fascism, Nazism and Stalinism was film. There
the elements of setting certain peoples, ideals and political leaders above others was easily
transformed into kitsch (for example, the kitsch of the beautiful blond hair in Nazism).
Religion, tourism, traditional kitsch, film, birth and family, porno kitsch are are only some of the
areas of everyday life filled with elements of kitsch. The area being too big will lead to me
pointing out only certain problems.
A good deal of the holy painting, especially ones created in the last two centuries, we can put in
the ranks of bad taste (Christs paintings encased in shells, photographical reconstructions of
holy sights) It can be said that today there is no real ecclesiastical art only bad imitations
becoming kitsch. The Christian kitsch is most probably the testimony of a huge loss of
theological essence.
Death is also an important ally of kitsch. A vast majority of todays tombs is filled with all kinds
of symbols that are the last gesture of respect towards the deceased, expressed with bad taste. It
may be that the breach of bad taste onto the area of death began precisely with the loss of respect
towards death.
Another area typical for the kitsch as a phenomenon is tourism which turns every monument,
every landscape and every object of folklore craftsmanship into kitsch.
As one of the important consequences of the development of modern, industrial society, the
phenomenon of kitsch that initially comes from art is present. From its emergence until today, it
shows no tendency of slowing down its expansion quite the contrary. Today there are more
and more elements of kitsch in other aspects of a mans everyday life, starting from film, politics,
tourism, family and ending with religious life. We can conclude that kitsch, at least partially, is
the expression of a reactionary mentality and a perspective of the world.
Likable, manipulative, with recognizable symbols kitsch imposes itself on the common man by
way of mass communication used to control and determine the taste of the masses. It is
impossible to avoid, because it is a direct produt of a mass culture to which our society belongs
as well. It is most present within the middle class (the art of the masses) that tries to come closer
to the higher class by use of visible symbols. That on its own doesnt make a kitsch within the
elite impossible. Kitsch is an auxiliary means of manipulating the taste of the masses. In crating
false myths, political propaganda, marketing of different ideas and products, kitsch is likable and
interesting, and it strikes its mark imposes itself on the masses, and uses that to impose its
message, no matter what it is.
The fact is that we are literally surrounded by kitsch objects, kitsch acting and primarily kitsch
people that probably encompasses most of the population, and most likely - me included.