Should I Visit the Blockbuster 'Expressionists' Exhibition at Tate Modern?
Summary
TLDRJoin George as he explores 'Modern Expressionists: Kandinsky, Munter, and the Blue Rider' at the Tate Modern. This exhibition features an extensive collection of works from the Lenbach House in Munich, showcasing the group's unique use of color and spirituality. Discover the origins of the Blue Rider movement, Kandinsky's journey into abstraction, and the diverse artistic styles that define this influential group. Experience the vibrant colors and emotional depth of their art, and consider the curatorial choices that shape the narrative of this significant exhibition.
Takeaways
- 🎨 The vlog explores the 'blockbuster' exhibition at Tate Modern featuring Modern Expressionists Kandinsky, Munter, and the Blue Rider group.
- 🌍 The exhibition includes significant loans from the Lenbach House in Munich, which houses the world's best collection of Blue Rider works.
- 🔵 The Blue Rider group, active before WWI, was not defined by a single artistic style but by their shared use of color and spirituality.
- 🎭 The group was multidisciplinary, consisting of musicians, artists, and writers, and was very international, reflecting Munich's progressive nature at the time.
- 🖼️ Kandinsky's work in the exhibition marks his transition to abstraction, making him one of the world's first purely abstract artists.
- 🎨 The exhibition's curation was somewhat disjointed, with themes and room transitions that could be improved.
- 🌈 The use of color by the Blue Rider artists was pivotal, with blue and yellow symbolizing different spiritual principles.
- 🏞️ The rural town of Murnau played a significant role in the group's development, influencing Kandinsky's move towards non-figurative painting.
- 🎵 The Blue Rider group was also interested in sound and light, incorporating these elements into their artwork.
- 🏛️ The exhibition ends with a reflection on the Blue Rider almanac and the impact of WWI on the group, with some key artists losing their lives.
- 📅 The show runs until the 20th of October, offering a rare opportunity to see these works in London.
Q & A
What is the main focus of the art exhibition discussed in the script?
-The main focus of the art exhibition is the works of modern expressionists Kandinsky, Munter, and the Blue Rider group.
What is unique about the Blue Rider group?
-The Blue Rider group was unique in that it was not defined by a coherent artistic style but rather by their shared interest in the use of color and spirituality in their works.
Why were the Blue Rider artists called by that name?
-The Blue Rider name was partly due to Kandinsky's love of horses and the color blue, which he associated with purity and the supernatural, while Munter saw blue as a masculine principle.
What role did color play in the works of the Blue Rider artists?
-Color was crucial to the Blue Rider artists as it was a gateway into the spiritual realm, and they used it to enhance their works rather than draining it like the Cubists in Paris.
In which city did the Blue Rider group coalesce and when?
-The Blue Rider group coalesced in Munich just before the First World War.
What is the significance of Murnau in the context of the Blue Rider artists?
-Murnau was a rural town in the Bavarian Alps that became a retreat for the Blue Rider artists, where Kandinsky began experimenting with non-figurative painting and moving towards abstraction.
What is the connection between the Blue Rider artists and the art of different cultures?
-The Blue Rider artists were influenced by crafts and art from around the world, reflecting their interest in spirituality and diverse artistic expressions.
What was the curatorial approach to the exhibition discussed in the script?
-The exhibition aimed to showcase the diversity of styles within the Blue Rider group and their connection to spirituality, but the curation was criticized for being somewhat disjointed and not always effectively highlighting the themes.
What was the reviewer's overall impression of the exhibition?
-The reviewer was impressed by the art but felt the curation could have been better, giving the exhibition a rating of seven out of ten.
What did the reviewer appreciate most about the works of Kandinsky and Munter?
-The reviewer appreciated Kandinsky's early abstract works and found Munter's portraits refreshing and paired back in their expression.
Outlines
🎨 Introduction to the Blue Rider Exhibition
The video script introduces the viewer to an art vlog exploring galleries and exhibitions, focusing on the 'Modern Expressionists: Kandinsky, Munter, and the Blue Rider' exhibition. The narrator, George, sets the stage for the exploration of the exhibition, which includes significant loans from the Lenbach House in Munich, known for its extensive collection of Blue Rider works. The Blue Rider group, active before World War I, was a diverse collective of musicians, artists, and writers. They were united by their use of color and spirituality, contrasting with the color-draining styles of the Cubists. The group's name is explained, highlighting the significance of the color blue and the group's focus on color as a spiritual gateway. The video promises a review of the exhibition, including Kandinsky's early abstract works, and encourages viewers to experience the art in person, with a warning to skip forward for those who wish to avoid spoilers.
🌏 The International Blue Rider Group and Their Artistic Journey
The script delves into the international nature of the Blue Rider group, highlighting their multicultural composition and the progressive atmosphere of Munich, which served as a backdrop for their activities. The group's connection to the New Artists' Association of Munich is mentioned, emphasizing their progressive stance, including the allowance of female members. The exhibition's flow is critiqued as 'jerky' by the narrator, who finds the transition between sections, such as Gabriele Munter's journey to Tunisia with Kandinsky and the exploration of gender through Mariana Verevkin's work, to be somewhat disjointed. The script then shifts to the rural retreat of Murnau, where the artists engaged with local arts and crafts, marking a pivotal point in Kandinsky's move towards abstraction.
🌈 The Influence of Crafts and Global Art on the Blue Rider
The video script discusses the influence of crafts and global art on the Blue Rider group, emphasizing the importance of spirituality in their work. The exhibition's room titled 'Being a Necessity of Art' contains some of the strongest paintings, reflecting the group's broad thematic approach. The script then transitions to smaller rooms focusing on sound, color, and light, showcasing the group's innovative use of these elements in their art. The final room provides a direct engagement with the Blue Rider group, leaving the viewer with a sense of 'what if' regarding the impact of World War I on the group, particularly the loss of key artists.
🖌️ The Art of the Blue Rider: A Personal Reflection
The narrator shares a personal reflection on the exhibition, emphasizing the theme of art conquering all, including the challenges of the exhibition's curation. The script highlights the rarity of seeing such a vast collection of Blue Rider works in London, appreciating the loans from Munich. The narrator expresses a particular fondness for Kandinsky's work and notes the refreshing simplicity of Gabriele Munter's portraits. The script also acknowledges the work of Franz Marc and Mariana van Werefkin, with the latter being a revelation to the narrator. Despite some artists not reaching the same heights and some curatorial decisions feeling forced, the overall experience is positive, with the narrator recommending the exhibition and giving it a 7 out of 10 rating.
🌟 Conclusion and Upcoming Art Events
The script concludes with the narrator's enthusiasm for the exhibition and a call to action for viewers to experience the art in person. The video ends on a note of anticipation for upcoming art events in London, including shows on Michaelangelo and Caravaggio. The narrator encourages viewers to subscribe to the art vlog and to actively explore the rich UK art scene.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Art Vlog
💡Blue Rider
💡Color
💡Expressionism
💡Abstract Art
💡Spirituality
💡Curation
💡Munich
💡Lenbach House
💡Wassily Kandinsky
Highlights
Introduction to the new blockbuster exhibition at Tate Modern featuring Modern Expressionists Kandinsky, Munter, and the Blue Rider.
Significant loans from the Lenbach House in Munich, home to the world's best collection of Blue Rider works.
The Blue Rider group's formation in Munich just before World War I, consisting of musicians, artists, and writers.
The group's focus on the use of color and spirituality, contrasting with the color-draining Cubists in Paris.
Kandinsky's view on color as a gateway into the spiritual, with blue symbolizing a call towards purity and the supernatural.
The anticipation of seeing Kandinsky's first abstract works, marking his transition to pure abstraction.
The exhibition's structure, with the first room introducing Kandinsky and Munter through their lesser-known works.
The multi-disciplinary nature of the Blue Rider group and the variety of artistic styles they encompassed.
The international composition of the Blue Rider group, reflecting the progressive and liberal atmosphere of Munich.
The significance of Murnau as a rural retreat for the artists, where Kandinsky began experimenting with non-figurative painting.
The influence of crafts and global art on the Blue Rider group, highlighting the theme of spirituality in their work.
The exploration of sound, color, and light in the Blue Rider's work, showcasing their innovative use of these elements.
The final room's mixed works and the poignant reminder of the impact of World War I on the Blue Rider group.
The reviewer's overall impression of the exhibition, praising the art but criticizing the curation.
The importance of seeing the works live and the recommendation to visit the exhibition before it closes on October 20th.
The anticipation of future art exhibitions in London, including those featuring Michaelangelo and Caravaggio.
Transcripts
a huge warm welcome to the art vog art
lovers With Me George do for me the art
Vlog is a vlog that takes you into
Galleries and exhibition spaces across
London the southeast of England and
Beyond and I can't wait today to explore
with you the new blockbuster at tap
modern expressionists Kandinsky munter
and the blue Rider this show includes a
very generous set of loans from the lmar
house in Munich the world's best
collection of blue Rider works and
certainly the world's biggest the blue
Rider were an interesting group they
coalesced in Munich in that years just
before the first world war and consisted
of musicians artists and writers they
were not a coherent artistic style but
more um an alamac at first a book called
The Blue Rider which included texts and
images is the artists of the blue Rider
did exhibit together twice in Munich in
1911 and 1912 and that first exhibition
traveled around Europe but what did
unite them was the use of color and
spirituality in terms of color they were
not like the cubists in Paris who
drained color from their Works they
enhanced it massively influenced by fist
like mati and for them color was much
more than an atic Choice it was a
Gateway into the spiritual
you might wonder why they were called
the Blue Rider and it was partly because
of Mark's love of horses um but it was
also because kadinsky said this about
the color blue the deeper the blue
becomes the more strongly it calls man
towards the infamt Awakening him in and
a desire for Purity and finally for the
supernatural whereas Mark saw Mark saw
blue as a masculine principle AR
stringent and spiritual and yellow a
feminine principle genu gentle gay and
sensual
color was absolutely crucial to these
artists and it was a Gateway into the
spiritual I'm going to expect in this
show great works by kinsky Mark Aus M
and munter and many others and I'm
hoping for documentary evidence as well
I'm hoping to see some of kandinsky's
first abstract works because it was in
Munich that he became one of the world's
first ever purely abstract artists as
shows on until the 20th of October it's
£2 to get in come and join me as we head
inside as always it's better to see this
work live so if you're going to the show
and you want to be surprised by the
works then do skip forward to my review
by following the chapters in the
description I'll introduce each section
to this show but leave you in the
capable of hands of the expressionist
art and the first room is strange in a
way introduces the two Headliners of the
show if you like kinsky and munter but I
thought it chose rather strange Works to
introduce them including these F
interesting photos from from the deep
south in America before the show begins
to warm up a little bit with the two
rooms munic the politics of looking and
concentric
circles and and these rooms remind us
that the blue ride had gathered in
Munich um which at the time was quite a
progressive and liberal City in Bavaria
and the blue Rider themselves were a
very International Group was Americans
and Eastern Europeans of Jewish descent
Russians austr hungarians as well as
Germans all thrown into this Melting Pot
of the city and the new artist
Association of Munich or the nkv M
founded in 1909 was a progressive um art
art um establishment which allowed women
members and it also reminds us in these
early rooms both of the
multi-disciplinary nature of the blue
Rider group and their Associates and
also the vast variety of different
Artistic
[Music]
Styles and we're reminded especially in
the Next Room concentric circles that
the blue Rider were friends as much as
as as artists and often um painted each
other
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I have to confess that um I found the
flow of the show at this point a bit
jerky cuz we then are transported to a
series of pictures by Gabriela munta um
that um follow her journey to Tunisia
with Kandinsky in 1904 and
1905 and then this swiftly follows a um
look at per a section called performing
gender which explores Mariana um
verevkin um rejection of gender binaries
apparently she said I'm not a man not a
woman I am I and her support of um
androgynous performer sakarov um and we
see some of her work here which I found
interesting and I'll talk a little bit
more about in the review
[Music]
[Music]
the sh crackles into life for me in the
room mnow the possibility of place mnow
was a rural town in the foothills of the
Bavarian Alps which became a bit of a
Rural Retreat for the blue Rider artists
um munter purchased a house in in mnau
and she and Kinski moved between the
city of Munich and the countryside um in
the period from 1909 to the start of the
first world war other artists um from
the blue Rider group bought houses or or
or or base themselves in towns nearby
and it became a really interesting point
where the artist engaged with local arts
and crafts and it's incredibly important
in Western Art because um this is where
kinsky as you can see here begins to
experiment with non-figurative painting
making that really important move
towards abstraction and my heartbeat
faster in this room
[Music]
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in the section artists and collectors
which sort of goes down a corridor
between the two main sections of the
space we get to explore how the blue
Rider were influenced by by crafts and
by art from around the world
um this I mentioned in the my
introduction that um spirituality was a
very important part of the blue Rider
group and that's the very broad theme of
the room being a necessity of art which
contains some of the strongest paintings
of the exhibition
[Music]
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[Applause]
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after this epic Feast of outstanding art
you kind of had taken through to two
three smaller rooms which look at how
sound um color and light were used by
the uh blue Rider group in The Sound
Room your you hear um works by shonberg
pipe through from the ceiling along with
this work which was directly inspired by
schonberg's work in the color room we
look at how prism was used to to to
experiment and accentuate color and and
there's a work oler Elias in the light
room
[Music]
in the final room we're able to finally
engage directly with the blue Rider
alamac um and also with a range of I
would say mixed works by artists from
the blue Rider group and um and there's
quite a bit of sweet um feeling to this
room because um Mackie and Mark two key
artists from the blue Rider group lost
their lives in the first world war and
um so you left with this massive sense
of what if and um I'll talk a little bit
more about that in the review as well
but enjoy these works and I'll see you
at the end of the exhibition
[Music]
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I really hope you enjoyed that
exploration there of expressionists
Kandinsky munter and the blue Rider from
tape modern and if you're not able to go
and get to this show I hope it gave you
at least a little sense of of what the
show was like obviously there is no
substitution for seeing these Works live
so do get along there if you can and for
me the real theme of the show was Art
conquering all especially conquering
some slightly iffy curation the fact is
that we will not see these Works in
London in such vast quantities again for
a very long time um it's amazing that
the Len back house has been prepared to
lend such Stellar Works um and probably
about 75 of the percent of these Works
came from Munich either from the lenbach
house or the various foundations over
there and so it really is a once in a
generation chance to see these Works in
London if you're not able to get out to
Munich and there was some fantas FC work
on display the Kinski obviously stole
the show to a certain extent my heart
beat faster looking at this wall um
where you saw him dabbling for the first
times with abstraction in this blue
Rider moment or this painting as well I
thought that Gabrielle munter was a
really nice anecdote she had a Ry um
look in her portraits especially showing
Kandinsky holding forth and people
having to listen to him and she was
actually treated quite badly by him in
the again but that was after the blue
Rider had
disbanded um and so she was a really
refreshing kind of paired back
expressionist I thought that France
Mark's paintings were wonderful I'm a
fan of his and I love his um his his
expression of of different animals
there's something quite threatening dark
about them in some ways but also a
tremendous about of empathy and for me
Maran rkin is a revelation as well I've
only really come to know her work in the
last couple of years and I'm glad I do I
love this blue scene of of the skaters
in fact my friend who I went around the
exhibition with um really like this one
too there were some artists which didn't
quite reach those Heights and um I would
say some strange curatorial decisions I
thought the first half of the show
lacked a really nice flow it was a bit
stop start and you began to question the
themes a bit and I was also a bit gutted
with the final room because so often in
this part of the tape modern this final
room is the place where you kind of
bought to a new height and that wasn't
the case actually in this in this sense
and also it was a show I must say where
I felt it was so much of our time and in
some ways it could be accused of trying
to shoehorn the expressionists into the
concerns of our time I'm always up for
re-evaluating artists and and art
movements and seeing how they can be
interpreted in different ways way but in
some ways this felt kind of a bit forced
um not to say that these these artists
were not very modern in lots of their
lives as well I thought that another
really interesting thing was the
diversity of styles and in some ways
that was a strength um you saw that the
blue Rider group were very open to
different forms of artistic expression
but at the same time in some cases it
meant um putting in artists whose Works
did not NE necessarily fit with the
explosion of color which made this show
such a highlight um but overall I'm very
very glad I went I think it's a good
show just concentrate on the art is my
my my view on this show um and I do
think that 22 is really good value for
seeing these works it really special to
see them in London and this show's on
all the way until the 20th of October
I'll be back no doubt several times
taking different people around it and I
hope that if you're in London you're
able to go in too I would give this a
seven out of 10 overall um because the
art was incredible but the curation did
let it down a bit and I found it a tiny
bit frustrating but um well done to the
tape for getting this loan it's a really
great opportunity to see these works
there's lots more shows coming up from
uh London including Michaelangelo
Caravaggio as well so do stay tuned
don't forget to subscribe to the art
Vlog and most most importantly of all
get out there and explore the
wonderfully Rich UK art scene
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