Unit 4: Shattering Tradition — The Evolution of Modern Art (1900–1980 CE)

Avant-garde

A movement that seeks to depict the modern experience, breaking from traditional art forms.

Cubism

An art movement that challenges singular viewpoints by analyzing and reassembling objects in abstract form.

Analytic Cubism

A phase of Cubism (c. 1907–1912) characterized by monochromatic colors and fragmented forms focusing on structure.

Synthetic Cubism

A phase of Cubism (c. 1912–1914) that introduced collage and used brighter colors and simpler shapes.

German Expressionism

An art movement prioritizing emotional experience and subjective interpretation over physical reality.

Die Brücke

A group within German Expressionism that depicted urban alienation using harsh colors and jagged lines.

Der Blaue Reiter

A group within German Expressionism led by Kandinsky, focused on spiritual abstraction and emotional evocation through color.

Futurism

An Italian art movement celebrating technology, speed, and urban modernity, advocating for the destruction of traditional art.

Dada

An avant-garde movement that arises as a reaction to WWI, characterized by mockery and rejection of traditional artistic values.

Readymade

An ordinary manufactured object designated as a work of art by the artist, shifting the focus from craft to concept.

Surrealism

An art movement that seeks to resolve dream and reality by exploring the unconscious mind.

Automatism

A technique in Surrealism allowing the subconscious to flow freely through art-making without conscious control.

Abstract Expressionism

An American art movement focused on expression, action, and emotional intensity post-WWII.

Action Painting

A style within Abstract Expressionism emphasizing the physical act of painting as essential to the artwork.

Color Field Painting

A style within Abstract Expressionism that emphasizes large expanses of color to evoke spiritual responses.

Pop Art

An art movement embracing post-war consumer culture and blurring the distinction between high art and popular culture.

Minimalism

An art movement that focuses on pure form and materiality, removing emotional or symbolic content.

The New York School

A collective of Abstract Expressionist artists based in New York, marking a shift in the art world's center.

Cleansing Agent (in reference to war)

A concept in Futurism that sees war as a necessary means to destroy the past and begin anew.

Philosophy of Expressionism

Art should express the artist's inner emotions and reactions to modern life and society.

Marcel Duchamp

An artist known for introducing the concept of the Readymade, questioning traditional notions of art.

Freudian Influence on Surrealism

Surrealism was heavily influenced by Sigmund Freud's theories about dreams and the unconscious mind.

Visceral Elements of Dada

Dada uses chance, nonsense, and absurdity to critique materials and nationalistic values.

Harsh Colors and Jagged Lines

A visual characteristic of Die Brücke's work, reflecting urban alienation and emotional angst.

Mass Culture in Pop Art

Pop Art's focus on everyday objects and celebrities reflects the commercialization of art in the post-war era.

Geometric Shapes in Minimalism

Minimalism is characterized by the use of geometric forms and industrial materials, devoid of intricate meaning.