Expressionism: Its Spiritual and Social Voice. By George Norris © Copyright 1996 VCCA Journal Electronic Edition Table of Contents Introduction Chapter 1: Give Rise to the Visual Imagination Chapter 2: Influence, Symbolism, and Color Found in Expressionism Chapter 3: The Creators Chapter 4: The Aspiring Artist Chapter 5: The Artistic Imagination Suppressed Conclusion Notes Bibliography Introduction Expressionism gained significance between the years 1905 and 1918 during a turbulent, cultural climate, a "revelation of the profoundly problematic conditions of Europe at the turn-of-the century" (qtd. in Whitford 18).
The need to express a modern voice against an outmoded way of life led the Expressionists to break with the Old Order. The Verein Berliner Künstler (Berlin Artists Association), because of public reaction, withdrew an exhibition by Edvard Munch whose influence over the Brücke group was tremendous. Between the years 1913 and 1929, Germany and Austria experienced economic, political, and social upheaval [1]. Chapter 1 i ii iii Chapter 2 iv. Danse Macabre. Danse Macabre. The mad square. The mad square modernity in German art 1910–37 Ludwig Meidner Apocalyptic landscape 1913 (detail), oil on canvas, private collection, courtesy Richard Nagy, London © Ludwig Meidner-Archiv.
Jüdisches Museum der Stadt Frankfurt am Main. Homepage image: Christian Schad Self-portrait 1927 (detail) Private collection, courtesy Tate London © Christian Schad Stiftung Aschaffenburg. VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn. Licensed by Viscopy, Sydney In an era of chaos came an explosion of creativity – edgy, provocative, yet utterly compelling. Germany at the start of the 20th century was a country in turmoil. Bold new movements such as Expressionism, Dada, Constructivism, Bauhaus and New Objectivity exploded onto the turbulent social landscape. The mad square: modernity in German art 1910-37 brings together over 200 diverse works exploring the fascinating and complex ways in which artists sought to portray the modern world.
Award-winning publication Berlin Sydney Watch interviews with the curator and visiting experts. The mad square. “Degenerate” Art | The Greatest Theft in History Educational Program. “Degenerate” Art | The Greatest Theft in History Educational Program.