Modern Era Blog

The Influence of WWI 

World War 1 had a profound impact on art during the early modern era. The brutality of the war led to a distinct shift in art style and subject matter. 

L.H.O.O.Q by Marcel Duchamp, 1919

Dadaism   

    One of the most distinct styles that emerged post WW1 was, Dadaism. Dadaism is an anti-art movement that strived on the senselessness and absurdity of the war. Dada artists embraced the concepts of chaos and irrationality. They commonly used satire and unconventional materials to further ideals. L.H.O.O.Q is a prime example as it was created from a post card of Leonardo DaVinci's Mona Lisa. Duchamp's intention with this piece was to feature elements of satire and he rejected the idea of aesthetic high-class art. Duchamp added a mustache and goatee to express the satirical and unserious ideals of dada artists. 

My Nursemaid by Meret Oppenheim 1936

Surrealism

          

    Surrealism emerged after WW1 as a result of the psychological trauma inflicted by the war. Within surrealism artists explored the unconscious mind and dream like imagery, many artists used the subconscious as a way to process the trauma resulted from the war. Meret Oppenheim specialized in surrealism. She is most known for her object, a fur covered teacup, saucer, and spoon in 1936. She also created pieces such as My Nurse / My nursemaid, that evoked eroticism. Although she specialized in surrealism, she is more known for her Swiss Surrealism. 

Dr. Mayer-Hermann by Otto Dix 1926

Expressionism

        As a result of the horror and brutality of the war, the Expressionist movement was born. The whole purpose of the movement was to convey the emotional experience, instead of the physical reality. Otto dix depicted the brutal realities of war, he often depicted these brutalities through anger and disillusionment. Dix was a German printmaker and painter whose personal experience from serving in the war influenced his work greatly. His paintings depict the intense reality of combat and the aftermath. 

My Opinion 

    My personal favorite of all the styles of art I picked for this exhibit is expressionism. Expressionism "expresses" deep emotional experiences, such as realistic representations of the horrors of the war. Personally I have always had a profound interest in the World Wars, and the art that was created as a result of the wars has always held a strong emotional response. I find with expressionism, it depicts intense feelings of anger and grief post WW1. 

Blumberg, N. (n.d.). Meret Oppenheim | Swiss artist. Encyclopedia Britannica.  

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Meret-Oppenheim

Dadaism - Art and Anti Art. (2019). Artyfactory.com. https://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/art_movements/dadaism.htm

Davis, C. (2020, May 13). Dadaism: 10 Iconic Artworks from the Dada Art Movement. The Collector. https://www.thecollector.com/dadaism-art-of-dada/

Polyzoidou, S. (2021, August 4). 6 Artists Who Depicted Traumatic & Brutal Experiences of World War I. TheCollector. https://www.thecollector.com/artists-who-depicted-traumatic-brutal-experiences-ww1/