ART WORK & AGRICULTURE IN 1940's

*Adold Hitler systematically eliminated artists whose ideals didn't agree with his own, many emigrated to the United States, where they had a profound effect on American artists. The center of the western art world shifted from Paris to New York. To show the raw emotions, art became more abstract.

*Abstraction Empressionism  also known as the New York School, was chaotic and shocking in an attempt to maintain humanity in the face of insanity.

*Jackson Pollock leading force in abstract art work. His most famouse work was "Christina's World" was painted in 1948. Sculpture, too, became abstract and primitive, utilizing motion in Alexander Calder's mobiles, and modern materials such as steel and "found objects" rather than the traditional marble and bronze.

*in architecture, nonessentials were eliminated, and simplicity became the key element. In some cases, such as Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe's famous glass house, even practicality was ignored. Modern glass-and-steel office buildings began to rise after the war ended. Pietro Belluschi designed the prototype Equitable savings and loans building, a "skyscraper" of twelve stories. Eliel Saarrinen utilized contemporary design, particularly in churches. The dream home remained a Cape Cod. After the war, suburbs, typified by Levittown, with their tract homes and uniformity, sprang up to house returning GI's and their new families. The average home was a one level Ranch House, a collection of previously unaffordable appliances surrounded by minimal living space. The family lawn became the crowning glory and symbol of pride in ownership

-CECI