Expressionist Art – The Heart And Soul Of The Artist Revealed

Expressionism is regarded by many to be an artistic movement: Although the term itself has (arguably) never been quite so utterly distinctive. Expressionism is a term which has been used to describe the style of artistic works primarily created by northern and central European artists from around 1903 for approximately twenty years: The first and most significant Expressionist groups being located in Germany and known as Die Brücke (The Bridge) and Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider) – Invariably and ultimately the term Expressionism refers to those art works which express intense emotions.

Expressionist art is just that. It is emotional, sensitive and in this way meaningful it its communication. It can demonstrate emotions on a spiritual and highly personal level in relation to the artist. Hence, Expressionism is not as idiosyncratic as many artistic movements tend to be. Indeed, it would not be unreasonable to argue that all art is expressive. Even so, invariably when we refer to a painting as Expressionist we are referring to the emotional content of the colors and form and so how the artist communicates with us, the viewer, on an emotional level.

Expressionist art has often manifested during times of great social and/or personal upheaval. In a way it records the oppression of an era whether that be WWI or the Protestant Reformation. Expressionist art is powerful and emotionally graphic. It can be sensitive and peaceful or intensely dramatic: Moving in its sadness, its joy as well as shocking and even morbid. It can quite literally reveal the heart and soul of the artist as well as their psychological stature.

Expressionism was not confined to painting although the visual arts were the primary medium. It originated among the German avant guarde. What bonds their work together is that Expressionist Paintings portray the world from an entirely personal perspective – That is, the perspective of the artist. The perspective of the world is not some much steeped in physical reality as it is the artist’s emotional reality. Often, the viewer will find the perspectives are unusual and extreme, as our most powerful emotions can be. One only has to consider The Scream by Edvard Munch to appreciate the potential of Expressionist Art.

The turn of the twentieth century was a particularly innovative period for the visual arts. The working style of Expressionism was volatile simply by its nature. Fourteen artists exhibited work in the "First exhibition of the editorial board of Der Blaue Reiter" (Erste Ausstellung der Redaktion Der Blaue Reiter) which opened to the public on December 18th 1911 and then travelled to various cities throughout Europe during 1912.

Kandinsky and Franz Marc were the groups’ leading figures – Although it would be Kandinsky who made the most profound breakthrough with regards to the abstract and spiritual elements of an artistic work. This breakthrough however was facilitated by the amalgamation of several artistic influences as well as artistic characters. One could say expressionist Art is an amalgamation therefore of the responses of various influences who were ultimately pursuing a common path.

Kandinsky, Jawlensky and Werefkin were sent to their homeland Russian at the outbreak of World War I. Some artistic contention had been developing among the group and now, with several of their core members dead or dispersed the Blue Rider Group also disseminated.

Kandinsky later returned to Germany after accepting an invitation from Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius to join the school as head of the Fresco workshop. Along with Klee, Jawlensky and Feininger regrouped as The Blue Four – Die Blaue Vier – in 1923. Kandinsky began lecturing his work and giving lectures on his artistic perspective. Kandinsky’s studies delved into the analysis of individual form and color which significantly changed his working style. Geometric forms came to the foreground of his paintings, his colors harmonies as symbolic as form.

In 1925 the Bauhaus moved from Weimer to Dessau where its revolutionary concepts were more favourably received. However, it would only be for a time. In 1931 the National Socialists successfully campaigned to close the Bauhaus – After which Kandinsky went to live with his wife in the Parisian suburbs. The work of Kandinsky and several other Expressionist Artists (Chagall) was condemned by the Nazis as degenerate and destroyed. Nevertheless, the spirit of Expressionism remains fundamental to much of what we now deem to be Modern Art.