Artist Hopes To Draw In Over 10-Thousand Attendees With First Art Show
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — At a time when most people were spending their off time getting into the Halloween spirit, local artist and curator Peter Svoboda has been busy putting together his own horror story.
“I was looking for something that was extremely engaging,” Peter said. “And I had been studying what happened in World War II for 20 or 30 years with a particular interest in why a populous that was a decent group of people followed this madman.”
In addition to his research on World War II, Peter decided to go to Germany, where he ultimately found the true source of inspiration behind the art show he’s curating. During his trip to Germany, he was able to take photos of six pieces included in the German Art Show, a show originated by the infamous Adolf Hitler who wanted to highlight the best displays of art across the world there. However, Hitler only wanted to highlight the best displays of art from Germany and would delegate any and all forms of art that did not meet his criteria to a separate art show right across the street from the German Art Show known as the Degenerate Art Show.
Because of that condition, the work of particular artists–such as Pablo Picasso–was viewed as inadequate through the eyes of the German population amidst the late 1930s and early 1940s. These were the works of art that Peter wanted to include in his own iteration of the Degenerate Art Show.
“I want to pay homage to the artists,” Peter said. “Many of the artists…their art was confiscated. Most of their art was destroyed. Sometimes all of their art was destroyed. They were imprisoned. Many of them were killed.”