Totalitarian art is brought to the attention by extra-aesthetic means; its association with and dissemination by totalitarianism. It might not otherwise be noteworthy. Any attempt to turn a somehow made-innocent eye on it to find aesthetic value in it is rehabilitating its extra-aesthetic aspect, not its aesthetics.
To do so is a bait-and-switch:
- An object that is aesthetically uninteresting is given prominence.
- It is suggested that since this object has prominence it may be aesthetic.
- It is suggested that this is independent of its extra-aesthetic qualities.
- Voila! An unaesthetic object of interest only because it has been peddled by totalitarianism is rendered an object of aesthetic regard.