EXPRESSIONISMO #VIVIEUVI

Summary

In this video, the speaker explores the artistic movement of expressionism, tracing its evolution from Impressionism and highlighting key figures like Van Gogh and Munch. The video delves into the German expressionist movement, emphasizing groups like the Bridge (Die Brücke) and the Blue Rider (Der Blaue Reiter), and their quest to capture internal emotions and the spiritual essence of reality. The influence of expressionism on modern art and other movements, like abstract expressionism, is also discussed. The speaker blends personal reflections with art history, making the topic both educational and engaging.

Takeaways

• 😀 Expressionism is an emotional and subjective artistic movement, contrasting with Impressionism which aimed to capture external impressions of the world.
• 😀 Van Gogh is considered a precursor to Expressionism due to his intense brushstrokes and emotional paintings.
• 😀 Munch's *The Scream* (1893) is a classic example of Expressionism, depicting vivid colors and distorted shapes to convey inner emotional turmoil.
• 😀 Fauvism, led by artists like Matisse and Derain, emerged in France in 1905 with a focus on using strong, expressive colors to convey emotion.
• 😀 The 'Brücke' (Bridge) group in Germany, formed by architecture students in 1905, sought to break from academic tradition and create emotional, expressive art.
• 😀 German Expressionism arose in the early 20th century as a reaction to modern anxieties, technological changes, and urban alienation.
• 😀 Kirchner's *Street* exemplifies the alienation felt in modern urban life, using bold colors and distorted faces to reflect anxiety and existential dread.
• 😀 The Brücke group dissolved in 1913 due to internal disagreements, but Expressionism continued to influence various art forms like literature, music, and cinema.
• 😀 The *Blue Rider* group, founded in 1911 by Kandinsky and others, emphasized the spiritual aspects of art, exploring abstraction and the connection between color and music.
• 😀 Expressionism left a lasting legacy, influencing movements like Abstract Expressionism in the U.S. during the 1950s and later developments in neo-impressionism.

Q & A

What is Expressionism a reaction to?

Expressionism is a reaction to Impressionism. While Impressionism focused on conveying an impression about the world around the artist, Expressionism centers on the artist's emotional and subjective response to reality.

Why is Vincent van Gogh considered a precursor of Expressionism?

Vincent van Gogh is considered a precursor of Expressionism because of his dramatic brushstrokes and the intense emotional expression present in his paintings, such as his use of vivid colors and distorted forms.

What is the meaning of the phrase 'Nature is not only what is visible to the eye; it also includes the inner images of the Soul' by Munch?

This phrase by Edvard Munch reflects the core of Expressionism, emphasizing that nature is not just the physical world but also the internal, emotional images and experiences of the individual, which should be reflected in art.

What is Fauvism and how does it relate to Expressionism?

Fauvism, developed by artists like André Derain and Henri Matisse, is an artistic movement that shares Expressionism's bold use of color. The Fauves, as they were called, used intense, non-naturalistic colors to express emotion, which parallels the emotional depth found in Expressionism.

What is the significance of the group 'Die Brücke' in Expressionism?

Die Brücke (The Bridge) was a group of German artists founded in 1905 that aimed to break from traditional academic art and sought to convey a more emotional and subjective view of reality. Their work focused on simplification and deformed shapes, often using strong colors to express the inner turmoil of the modern world.

How did technology and modern life influence the Expressionist movement?

The rapid advancements in technology, such as the advent of railways, electricity, and photography, created both excitement and anxiety among people, which Expressionist artists captured in their works. These changes brought feelings of alienation and anxiety about the future, which are evident in many Expressionist paintings.

What is the significance of the painting 'Street' by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner?

'Street' by Kirchner depicts a busy street scene in Dresden, with strong, contrasting colors and figures that appear alienated and mask-like. This creates a tense, claustrophobic atmosphere, reflecting the anxiety and alienation felt by individuals in modern life.

What was the role of the magazine 'Der Sturm' in German Expressionism?

'Der Sturm' (The Storm) was a significant magazine published in Berlin in 1910 that became an important voice for Expressionism. It helped shape and promote the movement, showcasing the work of Expressionist artists and offering intellectual backing for the style.

How did the Blue Rider group differ from Die Brücke?

The Blue Rider group, founded in 1911 by Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc, had a more spiritual approach to Expressionism. Unlike Die Brücke, which focused on emotional and social issues, the Blue Rider sought to express the spiritual essence of the world, often moving towards abstraction and emphasizing a mystical and symbolic approach.

How did music influence the work of the Blue Rider group?

Music was a major influence on the Blue Rider group, especially for Kandinsky, who believed that form and sound were deeply interconnected. He used music as an inspiration for his paintings, seeing them as a means of conveying inner feelings and spiritual truths, such as in his work 'Improvisation 27: Garden of Love 2'.