Ben Shahn as Aesthetic Educator

Abstract

Ben Shahn was a great artist and a magnificent teacher. As a humanist, he continues to teach what it means to be committed to human well-being and social justice for all. He demonstrates through his art that an artist can convey personal feelings powerful ways, while at same time commenting upon disturbing social problems. He teaches us that artists can involve themselves actively contemporary social issues and not lose their ability to create beautiful works of art. Indeed, Shahn is convinced that a time of anxiety and turmoil like present, the painter who can.., concern himself with a bowl of pansies (or a 'pure' abstraction) is dodging issues and is afraid to participate life around him.' As a humanist, Shahn believes that man is ultimate value.2 His humanistic philosophy is clearly expressed his art, whether he is affirming power of love a painting called Lovers or criticizing testing of nuclear weapons a poster called Stop H-Bomb Tests. The atomic age, against which he protested vigorously various ways throughout his life, led Shahn to observe that in this era of almost total mechanization and H-Bombs perhaps a resurgence of humanism is an objective worth striving for.' Future growth America, he contends, must not be directed toward material wealth but toward greater fulfillment of human spirit.' Shahn finds that his own values rotate around central concept of man as source of all value,'5 and his artistic work produced during nearly half a century confirms this belief.