L

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.