Picturing power: the depiction of leadership in art

Abstract

This paper examines leadership as a theme in works of visual art. It begins by identifying some key theoretical issues that arise in the artistic depiction of leadership, especially in comparison to the depiction of leadership through the verbal medium of literature. The paper builds on some earlier studies of the depiction of leadership in art by describing the challenges, limitations, and advantages of studying that depiction from the dual perspectives of art history and of leadership studies, and links the above issues to the analysis of leadership in specific works of art.

From the Black Square to the Red Square: Rebel leadership constructed as process through a narrative on art

“…Taking this view also means that appreciation needs to be given to art being bound up in politics (Inglis, 2005a) and '…wrapped up in struggles between more powerful and more powerless social groups' (Inglis, 2005b: 108 The paper also builds on a growing body of literature on art and leadership (e.g. Acevedo, 2011;Barry and Meisiek, 2010;Gayá Wicks and Rippin, 2010;Griffey and Jackson, 2010;Ladkin, 2008;Ladkin and Taylor, 2010;Springborg, 2010;Warner, 2014) to show the ability that art has to change, context and confront, in essence, to transform individuals, group, organizations and societies. For example, the use of portraiture as a method for understanding organizations (e.g.…”