M5P2 - Modernism II The World Wars

Modernism II Into the 20th Century

Terms and Concepts

• New philosophies influence culture and art directly.

• French Revolution: Spurred by Enlightenment ideals, it sought to discard traditions.

• Industrial Revolution: Transformed towns into cities; contemporary art documented these changes.

• The Artworld emerged as a means to promote new ideas.

Influential Philosophical Ideas

• G.W.F. Hegel: "Truth is relative"; no absolute truths exist; understanding truth comes from history's progression.

• Friedrich Nietzsche: Advocated for individual freedom and truth; introduced concepts of the "Superman" and overcoming societal norms.

• Sigmund Freud: Proposed psychoanalysis; believed the subconscious mind drives passions and creativity, often clashing with societal expectations.

Artists and Movements

Paul Cézanne

• Mont Sainte-Victoire, 1902-1904: Aims for a permanence in painting akin to sculpture.

• Influenced Picasso in blending perspectives and forms.

Pablo Picasso

• Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, 1907:

  • Utilizes multiple viewpoints, akin to sculpture.

  • Captures complex forms and societal themes: the women are from a Barcelona street known for prostitution.

  • Picasso's work poses a challenge to previous artistic ideals.

Philosophical Influences on Picasso's Work

• Integrates Darwinian Theory: Suggests beauty is arbitrary in nature.

• Incorporates Rousseau's Primitivism: Prefers the primitive state over civilization.

• Explored African masks, embodying a new language in art, evoking exoticism and primitive characteristics.

Georges Braque

• The Portuguese, 1911:

  • Part of the Cubist movement, emphasizes abstraction by reconstructing reality from multiple perspectives.

• Introduced letters and forms that focus attention on structure over imagery.

Cubism

• An avant-garde movement led by Picasso and Braque, challenging representational art.

• Breaks objects into parts and reassembles them into abstract forms.

• Influenced by Cézanne, focusing on the essence of forms.

Futurism

• Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash, 1912 by Giacomo Balla:

  • Captures movement and the experience of modernity.

Dada and Marcel Duchamp

• Introduced absurdity into art; challenged perceptions of reality and meaning.

• Fountain, 1917: A urinal displayed as art, questioning traditional notions of artistic validity.

• Mile of String, 1942: Stripped down viewer expectations, making space itself the artwork.

Surrealism

Wassily Kandinsky

• Improvisation 28, 1912:

  • Pioneered non-representational art; explores art’s ability to evoke emotions beyond representation.

• Aims for a universal language of art, akin to music.

Salvador Dalí

• The Persistence of Memory, 1931:

  • Explores subconscious mind, merging dreams with reality.

René Magritte

• The Treachery of Images, 1928-1929:

  • Challenges viewers’ perceptions of reality; what you see is not always truth.

German Expressionism

Kathe Kollwitz

• Woman with Dead Child, 1903:

  • Conveys deep, primal pain of loss using etching.

Otto Dix

• Der Krieg (The War), 1929-1932:

  • Triptych depicting the harsh realities of war—bold social commentary.

Avant-Garde Reactions

Frank Lloyd Wright

• Advocated for integrating architecture with nature, exemplified in Fallingwater, 1935-1938.

  • Designed to coexist with the natural landscape.

Exposition Internationale Paris 937

• Guernica, 1937, by Picasso:

  • Emotional response to war; serves as a powerful anti-war statement.

  • Foremost elements: chaos, pain, and a strong political message.

Summary Reflection

• The Modernist period is marked by a search for meaning in a rapidly transforming world.

• Artistic movements often emerge in response to preceding ideas, leading to continuous evolution within art.

• Global events, especially WWII, shape and challenge the role and relevance of modern art.