Lesson Five

Art Spiegelman
Maus II Final Drawings
Ink on Paper, 1988-89

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About the Artist

Art Spiegelman is a member of what is often called the "second generation." The child of two Holocaust survivors, Spiegelman's work is focused around the story of his father's experience of Auschwitz. Spiegelman's mother, Anja, committed suicide in 1968, whereupon his father, Vladek, burned Anja's diaries. The loss of his mother and her written history stimulated Spiegelman to recover the true story of his parents' involvement in the Holocaust. The result was more than forty hours of audio taping with Vladek Spiegelman, substantial technical and artistic research, and the translating of that story into Maus, for which Speigelman received the Pulitzer prize.

Spiegelman's first idea for the mouse metaphor was to apply it to the oppressed history of African Americans, but he soon applied it to the Jews. As Spiegelman progressed into the drawing of Maus, he became increasingly concerned with the aesthetic aspects of the work, such as how panels on pages related to one another, how artificial cropping affected his imagery, and how text could be reduced to fit the artistic space.

Spiegelman has noted:

It's important to me that Maus is done in comic strip form, because it's what I'm most comfortable shaping and working with. Maus for me in part is a way of telling my parents' life and therefore coming to terms with it ... It's not a matter of choice in the sense that I don't feel I could deal with this material as prose, or as a series of paintings, or as a film, or as poetry....In looking at other art and literature that's been shaped from the Holocaust ... that material is often very high pitched ... I feel a need for a more subdued approach, which would incorporate distancing devices like using these animal mask faces. Another aspect ... is that I've entered myself into the story. So the way the story got told and who the story was told to is as important as my father's narrative. To me that's at the heart of the work.

About the Work

Spiegelman's device in Maus is to depict Jewish characters as mice, whilst the Nazis are represented as cats. This simple but ingenious device immediately sets up the basic tragic conflict: the Jews as the helpless prey of the Nazi party. Spiegelman's images are rendered in ink on paper, without the distraction of color. The work balances the striking cartoon images with abbreviated text containing the story of his father's experience of the Holocaust. In addition to the Jew/Mice and Nazi/Cat comparisons in Maus, Poles are depicted as pigs, and Americans as dogs. In the Witness and Legacy exhibition, the Maus panels are also accompanied by a CD-Rom from which you can access an interview with Speigelman, the full text of Maus with commentary, and more.

Interprative Questions

  1. Do you think the cartoon medium is an acceptable one for dealing with the subject of the Holocaust? What level of seriousness do we typically expect out of the cartoon medium? Does this format help or hinder the telling of this story?
  2. What do you think about Spiegelman's depiction of Jews, Nazis, Poles, and Americans as various animals? Why did he choose these animals to represent these groups, and what message does this send?
  3. Do you think of this work as art? Why or why not? Is it serious literature? Why or why not? Who do you think might choose to read this book?

Throughout history, people have expressed their beliefs and opinions of what is right and wrong through art. Often these social commentaries took the form of comics being that they appear very accessible to the average reader. They usually contain eye catching, memorable characters and exaggerated features. The tone of the script may sometimes be sarcastic or funny, depending on the reaction the artist desires. Political cartoons are good examples of social commentaries. They create a specific statement about an issue and represent it in pictures and very few words.

Art Project Objective

You will create a comic strip that is a social commentary on an issue you feel strongly about. Choose a problem you see in society (drugs, racism, violence in schools, etc ... ) and relate your feelings about it. Try to emphasize the theme by creating characters and settings that visually demonstrate part of the problem. A text will be used only as a secondary reinforcement of the plot.

Vocabulary

Social commentary -- In art, a work whose theme focuses on social issues, especially inequities, is said to contain "social commentary." Literally, the work makes a statement about society, with which the viewer may agree or disagree.

Political cartoon -- A drawing or sequence of drawings, typically found in a newspaper or magazine, which conveys a political statement. Often political cartoons use humor or satire to make their point.

Sequence -- The coming of one thing after another; or the order in which this occurs.

Onomatopoeia -- Words which imitate actual sounds, such as "buzz" or "wham."

Materials

Procedure

  1. Review the "About the Artist" section and Spiegelman's slides. Get an idea of what he was trying to accomplish in his work.
  2. Go over the definitions of social commentary, political cartoon, sequence and onomatopoeia.
  3. Look through magazines and newspapers for political cartoons and art that contains a social commentary. Cut out several examples and share them with the class. Point out how the artists have created figures and settings that help to express their beliefs.
  4. Brainstorm problems that affect youth in the world today. List them on the board. Choose two that you feel strongly about. Decide how you can portray your opinion about these issues visually. Think about how you can stir up emotions in your viewer and gain their support for your beliefs.
  5. Sketch out a main character and a setting for your comic. What kind of characteristics could you give them that would help to convey and reinforce your message? Remember, the image will be created with line, shape and texture. Color will not be used! Onomatopoeias (word such as boom, bang, screech, zoom, etc... can be added to portray movement and emotion.
  6. On a sketch paper, draw several 3"x6" connected boxes in a row. These will serve as a "storyboard" for your comic. Begin creating sequenced images using the characters and setting decided upon. Text may or may not be added. Keep in mind though, that your main emphasis should be on the visual elements! Being that each of the frames must rely on its predecessor, be sure to use repeated elements. Do not go outside of the boxes.
  7. Once you have sketched two different comic strips, choose the strongest. On the white paper, redraw your boxes and comic in pencil. Go over the finished drawing with a fine line, black marker. Be sure to give your comic an appropriate tittle.

Examining Your Work

  1. What social issue did you use as a basis for your political cartoon? Why did you choose it? What kind of drawing techniques did you use to help create a sense of movement and emotion?
  2. How do the characters and setting help reinforce your opinions? Describe their characteristics and how they relate to the overall theme.
  3. Do you believe comic strips should be considered art? Why or why not? Compare and contrast them with a painting of your choice.

Collect several different political cartoons. On a separate sheet of paper, describe each and explain how the artist wants the viewer to react when looking at his work. How does he/she accomplish this?

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