If there is one thing that’s true in this world, it’s that there sure isn't a lack of conspiracy theories out there. Think about it: almost every big mystery or question has a slough of alternative explanations involving everything from Big Brother to the Illuminati to the Masons...and of course we can’t overlook aliens. Oswald wasn’t the lone gunman; the Apollo moon landing never happened and was filmed instead on a Hollywood sound stage; the government is hiding proof of alien life; the Mona Lisa on view at the Louvre is a fake. Every day we might hear a new, wacky theory, even in the art world, like how the CIA funneled money into the arts, towards revolutionary painters like Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko, in order to fight the Cold War. Crazy, right? I mean, what a bizarre way to attempt to covertly bring down the Russians?

Except that this last one isn't a crazy conspiracy theory at all. It’s actually a true story of propaganda, secrets, lies, and fine art. The pen is mightier than the sword, the saying goes. Well, it turns out that the same could be said about the paintbrush.

//SUBSCRIBE and review us on iTunes HERE!

And follow us on Twitter and on Instagram for more artsy goodness:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artcuriouspod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/artcuriouspod

Looking for a transcription of this episode? Check it out here. Not to be used for distribution or any other purpose without permission.

Want even MORE information? Check out the links below:

How the CIA Spent Secret Millions Turning Modern Art into a Cold War Arsenal

BBC Culture: Was Modern Art a Weapon of the CIA?

Jackson Pollock, Autumn Rhythm (#30), 1950, enamel on canvas

Nelson Rockefeller examining a painting at MoMA, 1950s

Mark Rothko, White Center, 1950, Private Collection

A prime example of Russian Socialist art: Viktor Ivanov, Family, 1964-5

The Abstract Expressionists profiled for Life Magazine's

Episode #9: The CIA/AbEx Connection