Modern Art of the 20 th Century Modernism – “radical experimentation to challenge traditional forms” Lessons 5-6 PPT 606

Modern Philosophy Nietzsche – questioned values of society –Democracy, progress, even respectability was suffocating –Saw Christianity as glorifying weakness –“GOD IS DEAD” Georges Sorel – Marxism is a religion; democracy is bad Existentialism – stressed meaninglessness of existence –Moral values found in yourself –Jean-Paul Sartre –Albert Camus (The Stranger) Soren Kierkegaard – impossible to prove God – takes a leap of faith –Religion now relevant and meaningful Generalize the new thinking… Friedrich Nietzsche

New Physics Discovery: Atom was not a solid – made up of energy Marie Curie – discovered radium consistently emits particles –So, weight keeps changing –Atoms theorized to be splitable –She was first woman to win Nobel Prize for Peace –ONLY person to win in two different sciences Albert Einstein – theory of relativity –Only light is constant Why will this matter? What’s so exceptional?

Freudian Psychology Sigmund Freud Austrian Belief that you’re born with proclivities First to really consider mental illness Theorized your three personality parts –The id –the ego –the superego Developed Psychoanalysis Discussed development in terms of psychosexual stages –Oral, anal, etc. –Fixations, frustrations Developed Freudian psychology Would you categorize Freud as exceptional? Why?

Attitudes in Literature New focus: climate of pessimism, relativism and alienation New technique: stream of consciousness – inner monologue –Virginian Wolfe –James Joyce (Ulysses) – a single day in the life of an ordinary man –Oswald Spengler – Decline of the West –Franz Kafka – The Metamorphasis –Enrich Remarque – All Quiet of the Western Front What does it seem like they are all reflecting?

Mass Culture – Consumer More people made enough $$ for luxury items Industrialization mass produced inexpensive goods “new woman” – highly independent –Got the right to vote –Held jobs, researched latest fashion trends, wore make- up, smoked cigarettes –Used sex appeal to lure men – no longer yearned for marriage Cinema – movies – era of silent films –Equalized society Radio –Guiglielmo Marconi – invented around 1900 –Became HUGE in 1920s –Britain: BBC (government controlled) Tie this all together… how is society now defining itself?

Abstract Art ( onwards) a generic term a blend of Realism and Symbolism Something has been withdrawn to consider it separately Plays with visual elements: line, shape, tone, pattern, texture, or form GEORGES BRAQUE Violin and Pitcher, 1910 (oil on canvas)

Art Nouveau August Klimt The Kiss, 1908 “New Art” decorative 1890 until World War I intricate linear designs and flowing curves based on natural forms. Describe what you see…

Expressionism ( ) German off shoot from Fauvism Charged with emotional vision of the world ERNST LUDWIG KIRCHNER The Red Tower at Halle, 1915 (oil on canvas) Try to remember what Fauvism was… What do the colors seem to do?

Marc Chagall pioneer of modernism and a major Jewish artist. synthesized cubism and fauvism What am I talking about? (describe)

The Birthday, Marc Chagall, 1915 Can you see his emotion in the abstractness?

Cubism ( ) Pablo Picasso and George Braque Paris Ignores traditions of perspective Show many views of subject at one time Often drew inspiration from art from other cultures, like Africa Breaks subject into geometric shapes, then overlaps Pablo Picasso Ambroise Vollard, 1915 (oil on canvas) What do I mean by that? Can you describe what he’s doing?

Les Demoiselle d’Avignon Pablo Picasso, 1907 What is he trying to say about this accepted part of French society?

Guernica – Pablo Picasso, 1937 Goal: show horrors of German carpet bombing - Evoke sympathy for Republican cause

Dadaism ( ) not a style of art was a form of artistic anarchy born out of disgust for the establishment responsible WWI intent on destroying the artistic values of the past intentionally confrontational and provocative to the artistic establishment with the irrationality of their collages Purposefully provoked conservative complacency with outrageous actions at their exhibitions and meetings. Why would they do this?!

Surrealism ( ) The positive response to Dada’s negativity Goal: liberate artists imagination Tap into “superior reality” Drew on images of dreams Often combined disassociated images Purposefully lacked conscious mind control Relate to Freud… RENÉ MAGRITTE Time Transfixed, 1938 (oil on canvas) Salvador Dali

Persistence of Memory Salvador Dali, 1931 What might he be trying to say here?

Modernism Architecture

Functionalism Buildings should have a purpose Do not decorate with fancy ornamentation “a house is a machine for living in” Describe this architecture… what you see. Characterized by clean, straight lines Symmetrical

Bauhaus A school to teach all new styles of functionalism