Modern Art Movements: From Expressionism to Surrealism

Expressionism: Germany (1905-1920)

Expressionism emerged in Germany, spanning from 1905 to 1920. This movement prioritized the artist's inner experience over objective reality.

Immediate Influences

• Vincent van Gogh: Arbitrary use of color to express strong emotions.
• Edvard Munch: Depicting themes such as fear, desperation, and sexuality.
• James Ensor: Use of masked and cartoony characters to represent social hypocrisy.

Key Characteristics

• Representing reality according to subjective feelings.
• Using the external world to portray the inner world.
• Rejection of traditional artistic conventions and naturalistic representation.
• Colors and shapes are intensified to enhance emotional impact.
• Emphasis on the intention behind gestures, expressions, and postures.
• Common themes include pain, death, and daily life.

Lasting Legacy

Expressionism fundamentally altered the artist's role. Painters moved beyond merely recreating objects, instead infusing their work with emotional expressions reflecting their inner being. This marked the beginning of a new path of artistic exploration.

Cubism: France (1907-1916)

Cubism, pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, developed in France between 1907 and 1916. It revolutionized painting by depicting subjects like musical instruments, portraits, and fruit in a fragmented, multi-perspective manner.

Defining Features

• High prevalence and emphasis on geometric forms.
• Objects are fragmented into geometric shapes.
• Colors are applied in a planar, two-dimensional way.
• Creation of a new, reconstructed reality.

Phases of Cubism

Analytical Cubism (1910-1911)

During this phase, figures were broken down into a linear, complex network where color contrast was minimized. Intricate lines fragmented the figure until it merged with the background. Objects were depicted from multiple angles simultaneously. This phase predominantly used straight lines and a muted color palette of blue, gray, and brown.

Synthetic Cubism (1911-1912)

Artists in this phase reconstructed forms using simplified, flat planes, aiming for an essential synthesis of the object. The goal was to convey the idea or essence of an object. Planes were enlarged, and color was reintroduced. This period saw a spatial reorganization, the use of brighter, more cheerful colors, and the incorporation of collage elements.

Dadaism: Zurich, Switzerland (1916)

Dadaism emerged in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1916, amidst the chaos and destruction of World War I. Dadaists embraced absurdity and inconsistency as their sole reaction to the prevailing disorder. They had no interest in order or conventional expression, aiming instead to destroy the myth of the artwork itself. Emphasis was placed on the artistic gesture and a destructive attitude towards established norms.

Key Characteristics

• Disorderly and scandalous public events.
• An art of provocation.
• In favor of nature, contrary to reason.
• Irony and humor are prominently used to express ideas.

Global Reach

• New York (a significant Dada center)
• Berlin
• Paris
• Rome
• Barcelona

Futurism: Italy (1909)

Futurism was founded in Italy in 1909 by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti.

Defining Features

• An aggressive, rebellious movement.
• Admiration for technology and speed, viewing them as beautiful.
• High value placed on originality.
• Use of fragmentation and dynamic representation of movement.
• Exaltation of motion and machines.
• A radical break with tradition, including a rejection of museums.

Surrealism: France (1924)

Surrealism was officially launched in 1924 by André Breton, who defined it as 'pure psychic automatism, by which one proposes to express, verbally, by means of the written word, or in any other manner, the actual functioning of thought.' The movement sought to designate and explore the depths of the human mind.

Key Characteristics

• Affirmation of the imagination's autonomy.
• Belief in the expressive power of the unconscious mind, which prevails and dominates.
• Images are taken from reality and presented in an absurd or dreamlike context.