Week Eight: The Great War Shakes Things Up

 Hello, everyone. Today, I wish to take you through the wild world of art post-World War I, as well as go over my opinions on it. So without further ado...

Eclipse of the Sun

by George Grosz

     Painted in 1926 by German artist George Grosz, this painting is considered to be part of the Dada movement. Now, the thing about Dada is that it was not so much an art style as it was a philosophical and political movement influenced by the horrors of a post-WWI world. Many traditional and old-world values were shattered beyond repair, and many found themselves disgusted by what was traditionally though of as art. Because of this, much of the Dada art you may find usually has some deep meaning relating to the state of the world at the time and is expressed through this "artistic anarchy". So, you may be wondering, what is this painting supposed to be? Well, it's mainly a criticism of the German Wiemar Republic.

    One of the first things that stands out is the mustached military man towards the top. This depicts the then president of the Wiemar Republic, Paul Von Hindenburg. The bloody sword and cross represent the carnage and death that Germany partook in during the war. The man in the top hat is an industrialist, whispering things into the president's ear. And both the headless financiers and the donkey with blinders represent the headless government and the blind people of Germany that accept what they're told without protest. And finally, the dark sun with the dollar sign represents American investments in Germany post-war.

    As for how I feel about it, I'm fairly neutral to this painting. While I'm all for pushing boundaries in art, and I also find the way people will use art as a method to send messages fascinating, this particular painting doesn't strike my fancy. In fact, much of Avant-garde artworks around this time is something I find myself being neutral to or being put off by. But I suppose that's the point, isn't it? Regardless, I do like the actual use of brush strokes and form in this painting. And the use of symbolism was clearly very well thought out.

Cut with the Kitchen Knife Dada Through the Last Wiemar Beer Belly Cultural Epoch of Germany

by Hannah Höch

    Yes, that run on sentence is the real title. Created circa 1919-1920, this photomontage was made by German artist Hannah Höch, and is also a part of the Dada movement, as you may have been able to tell. Now, you may be very confused as to what this even is, but again, this is another example of criticism against the Wiemar Republic, as well as support for Dadaism and feminism. How is this... all of that? Well, I can try to explain.

    Trying to discuss the all the symbolism in this piece would take all day, so I encourage you to read about it yourself with the source I provided below. Regardless, I will try my best to sum up. This piece is best thought of in four separate quadrants.

    The upper right corner is the "Anti-Dada" quadrant, and has all the clippings of the Wiemar politicians. One important figure is the man in between the large gear and the wheel, this being Kaiser Wilhelm II, who seems to disappear in the chaos around him. The "World of Dadaists" is filled with notable Dada artists depicted in somewhat surreal ways. "Join Dada" is filled with large crowds of people headed by assassinated Communist leader Karl Liebnecht, seemingly implying revolutions are on the horizon. And "Dada is Not a Trend" is being said by the mustached man, who is a young(ish) Albert Einstein, implying that Dada is more than just an art movement, but a stance on life. Much of the feminism aspect comes from the title, with the imagery of the New Woman carving up the male-dominated "beer belly" politics of the Wiemar Republic with a tool associated with "women's work", that being a kitchen knife. This is further supported by the small map in the bottom right corner that shows all the European countries that allowed women to vote at the time.

    This one piece really shows just how complex and messy the world was at this point in time, especially in Germany, what with the Treaty of Versailles and the Great Depression running the country through the wringer. As for my opinion, I just don't think this type of art is for me. I can certainly appreciate all the thought and deliberate effort that Höch took in her creation process, and strangely enough I do like the composition, but the end product just isn't very visually appealing to me. Without the knowledge of the intricate symbolism, it looks like a random mess, and it's that effort into the meaning that carries the entire piece.

Composition No.II

by Piet Mondrian

    Painted in 1920 by Dutch artist Piet Mondrian, both he and this painting are icons of the De Stijl movement. De Stijl is identified by it's ideals of searching for harmony, embracing universalism, and using art as a method to potentially transform the world into utopian image. This was all motivated by the horrors of WWI, with a desire to start society over through harmonious order. Which is probably why you'll see a lot of limited colors and a LOT of rectangles.

    That is the reason why this painting is rectangles, primary colors, and shades of white, black, and gray. Mondrian was trying to obtain that sense of order and unity that he felt society should try to rebuild itself as after such a chaotic and terrible war. De Stijl is certainly interesting, as it is another art movement that seems less interested in art, and more on what the artist want to say with their art. Which is a stark contrast to the past, where art was mostly to depict the world or tell a story.

    I actually like this piece. It's simplistic and abstract, but there's something I can appreciate about that. The colors are pleasing, and the composition is constructed well. That's actually something I found very interesting is how Mondrian was able to make a bunch of colored boxes and yet it doesn't feel like a random, busy mess. Oddly enough, it does feel harmonious to me. It makes sense, considering  Mondrian is one of the most important artist in the De Stijl movement. Honestly, though, I still prefer his earlier work (which you can view on his website linked below).

That should do it for this week. I hope you all have a good one.

References:

“Composition No.II 1920 by Piet Mondrian.” Piet Mondrian, www.piet-mondrian.org/composition-number-2.jsp. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Dadaism - Art and Anti Art, www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/art_movements/dadaism.htm. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

“De Stijl Movement Overview.” The Art Story, www.theartstory.org/movement/de-stijl/. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

“Eclipse of the Sun (Grosz).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Nov. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eclipse_of_the_Sun_(Grosz).

Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-1010/dada-and-surrealism/dada2/a/hannah-hoch-cut-with-the-kitchen-knife-dada-through-the-last-weimar-beer-belly-cultural-epoch-of-germany. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.