This art work is more of a graffiti/mural style piece. The phrase plays on the words “make love not war” that was a very popular slogan in the 1960s. The protest itself is against the Vietnam War. The artist is trying to portray the soldier, who is usually a symbol of war and aggression, as someone who can use his “weapon” as a tool for positive creation. The paintbrush, which used to be a rocket launcher, painted the word “war” in red to show urgency, while painting “make art” in black to make it calmer. The artist did this because counterculture at the time believed in carrying guitars, paintbrushes, and spray cans rather than guns. This protest art sent a powerful message of investing time into beauty and imagination rather than death and destruction.
I believe that this protest art can still be relevant today. Whether you are talking about a physical war between countries, or an internal war within our own country, many believe that we should focus on peace. Today, it can be used to show that we could fight battles with expression and creativity rather than with violence and death. The world today continues to face violent conflict and political unrest just like it did during the Vietnam War. Artists today use their art to protest the detestation costs of militarism in the Middle East and Ukraine.
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