American Illustration 45 Winners

Cover for TIME magazine, about the American attack on Iran, and what would come after

After taking power in 1933, the Nazis attacked many German artists and arts institutions for polluting the nation’s culture and redirected society’s institutions to enforce their ideology. In the annals of art history, few events compare to the determination of the German Nazi party to suppress the work of leading modernist painters and to force the nation’s art institutions to conform to the Nazi definitions of “authentic” German art. Starting when Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933 until the end of the Second World War, Germany’s culture was reshaped to comply with the ideology of the ruling political party. That effort provides a cautionary tale for our times, as museums nationwide are having their funds cut, and their collections are under attack for representing “woke” themes, deemed politically unacceptable.

After taking power in 1933, the Nazis attacked many German artists and arts institutions for polluting the nation’s culture and redirected society’s institutions to enforce their ideology. In the annals of art history, few events compare to the determination of the German Nazi party to suppress the work of leading modernist painters and to force the nation’s art institutions to conform to the Nazi definitions of “authentic” German art. Starting when Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933 until the end of the Second World War, Germany’s culture was reshaped to comply with the ideology of the ruling political party. That effort provides a cautionary tale for our times, as museums nationwide are having their funds cut, and their collections are under attack for representing “woke” themes, deemed politically unacceptable.