Do you ever go to an arty event and hear words like expressionism and just smile and nod? Sometimes all this expert terminology can go over our heads and get all muddled up. But fear not! We’re here to give you a quick cheat sheet on all things expressionism!
It’s About Feeling
Expressionism was about emphasising your feelings. These artists let it all out onto the canvas, there was no holding it in. Edvard Munch’s famous scream? Yep, that’s expressionist! Artists like Munch and Van Gogh are said to be among the first wave of expressionist artists.
It’s German
Sprechen sie Deutsch? It may come in useful because the term “expressionism” actually comes from Germany. It first appeared around 1910 to describe the avant-garde art of the time.
It Kicked out Impressionism
Expressionism puts expression over impression. The trendy impressionism was pushed to the side in favour of raw emotion.
Something About A Bridge
In Dresden, a group of expressionist artists called themselves Die Brucke, meaning “the bridge” as they saw themselves as creating a bridge into the future, freeing themselves from tradition. It all sounds a bit woo woo but we kind of get it.
There Were Many Cliques
Besides the bridge, there were also other groups, including one known as “The Blue Rider” in Munich, taking its name from a painting by Kandinsky. These artists emphasised the spiritual over the earthbound. We’re not sure what that means exactly, but let’s roll with it.
The Colours Were Intense
Remember: expressionism = emotion. Oftentimes everything was exaggerated and highly textured. Everything was bright, intense and non-naturalistic. Think Van Gogh’s Starry Night! What was on the canvas was a representation of the artist’s inner feelings.
It Was Affected by War
During the Second World War expressionism was seen as degenerate and went out of favour, some even being persecuted by the Nazi party. But it came back as Neo-Expressionism once the war was over in the 1970s and 1980s through the work of artists like Georg Baselitz.
It Inspired Abstract Expressionism
In the 1980s, a more abstract form of expressionism developed in the US and became known as abstract expressionism. This was seen in the work of artists like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning.
Text Lizzy Vartanian
