Abstract

Capitalism has a unique way of entering societies and affecting every aspect of social, economic and political institutions, making societies unrecognizable and making people believe there is no other way of life. It is enforced through various methods and strengthened by its own failures. It has blinded us, making it impossible to see past the mask it puts on without rigorous critical analysis of the system. One way in which the reality it has created can be challenged, however, is visual arts. In my research, I explore how art is a historical method and an abstraction which allows us to use it to view both history and society from a slightly different perspective described in a very different format. I argue how this allows art to also be used to critique capitalism and show its illusive flaws. An example of a painting that allows us to see an outsider’s perspective on the cultural atmosphere of American capitalism is “The Subway” by José Orozco, which I analyze by looking at the artist’s intent and the techniques and juxtapositions he used in his work. I also explain how, since capitalism infiltrates every single aspect of society, it also has a tremendous effect on the art industry and art itself. This constant battle between visual arts and capitalism reduces art’s ability to inspect and evaluate capitalist truths and present such arguments to the viewers.