Modernism
The 19th and 20th century were
characterized by a boom of revolutionary ideas for artists around the world.
The invention of the photographic camera forced artists out of there comfort
zone and drove them to explore new avenues when painting and to challenge what
photographs could not bring to and audience: colour, texture, movement, feeling
and a relation to contemporary issues in everyday life. Also they felt that
rather than relate a story, they had a right to deliver their own opinion and
message, especially those aimed towards the events that took place radically
across the two centuries such as the Industrial Revolution and the First World
War. This was the year of modernism.
All artists within the Modern Era had the natural feeling
that the world in the way it way in the past was too different from the way it
was advancing in their present time. What fueled all the art movements within
this period was the artist ways of experimenting to explore new boundaries in
art, while rejecting the academics and the assessment of the art critics. With
the end of Neo-Classism and its exaggerated focus on its strong connections
with academicism, Romanticism took over, which focused on the emotions,
rebellion , and the thirst for truth by creating fantasy- like scenes.
They rejected what society found as favorable and what was considered
as good taste at that time. Another movement was Realism, which also challenged
the society’s view and also broadened their subjects as scene of everyday life,
such as a scene of manual laborers.
Up to the year 1920 Europe had been going through a number of
tumultuous events. What with the industry, the all-over faster rhythm of life,
and the start of state revolutions leading to the ending of many monarchies,
new ideologies started developing. Citizens started becoming more nationalistic
and servant-like towards their country. Other European leaders brainwashed even
the youngest of boys to lead onward with their idea of a militaristic
government. This upheaval led to the Great War.
Since Germany was a greatly militarized country, donning the
latest and most advanced weaponry of the time and had started achieving support
quite early into the war, started posing a great threat towards the Allies who
on the other hand were low on the number of soldiers. Therefore, they could do
nothing, but turn to their citizens and urge them to conscript “for the pride and glory of their country”.
This is where propaganda and poster design played a great role.
Inspired
by the many movements within Modernism, many artists and print-makers designed
posters in order to impulse the citizens into offering their services for the
war effort. Bright colours were used in order to itch curios eyes towards it
from a distance as well as making it captivating and attention-grabbing
up-front. Political figures and important leaders were depicted, addressing a
general audience and using either inspiring or commanding words to commend
people into joining the army.
Bibliography:
- Stephen Little, …isms Understanding Art, 2011, Herbert Press, London
- Jesse Bryant Wilder, Art History for Dummies, 2007, Wiley Publishing, Indianapolis
- Philip B. Meggs, Megg’s History of Graphic Design, 2012, John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey
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