Expressionism
Expressionism in art is where an artist's attempts to convey emotion and evoke feelings through art is not necessarily accurately based on reality subject matter. Expressionism is believed to have stemmed from artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Gauguin and Edvard Munch, whose later works would move further away from art as a mere observation, going further than the symbology and post-impressionism movements to coming as close as possible to visually communicating the emotional levels of the artist's mind.
A famous group of artists known as Die Brücke were active from 1905 to 1913. Their prominent works are notorious for their harsh brushstrokes, over simplification of form and use of vibrant and offensive colour. The aim of the movement was to convey contemporary themes of the changing modern times, their disillusion, angst and fear. Politics and social norms were also challenged by artists during this time, and the movement was not limited to drawing and painting alone; music and other literary works were created around this time.
As themes vary and become out-dated and somewhat unrelatable to many students, it can be difficult to grasp what exactly artists were attempting to convey; interpretation is a skill that often requires development. Some good places to start would be visiting the Tate Modern, or websites listed below:
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