The Art Gallery of New South Wales Highlights Modernity in German Art from 1910 to 1937

Written by Harry Larwood Monday, 09 April 2012 20:13

Sydney, AU - The Art Gallery of New South Wales is pleased to present "The Mad Square: Modernity in German Art 1910-1937" from August 6th through November 6th. This will be the first exhibition in Australia to look in-depth at the turbulent time of the Weimar Republic when, following the catastrophe of World War I and in a period of intense crisis, Germany entered an extraordinary era of creative and artistic fervour. The "Mad Square" exhibition is organised by the Art Gallery of New South Wales with loans from museums and private collections from around the world.

Berlin, 100 years ago, is the starting point for the exhibition. The thriving cosmopolitan metropolis provided new subject matter and new audiences for radically modern art forms. Over two decades, Germany became a centre for international avant-garde artists who were attracted to the culture of Weimar Germany. Through over 200 works by leading artists of the period – including Max Beckmann, Otto Dix, George Grosz, John Heartfield, Hannah Höch, Karl Hubbuch, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Käthe Kollwitz, László Moholy-Nagy, August Sander, Christian Schad, Rudolf Schlichter and Kurt Schwitters – The mad square reveals the intensely original art forms born of this time and the fascinating and complex ways in which artists responded to the forces of modernity During this unprecedented moment in history, avant-garde movements – Expressionism, Dada, Constructivism, Bauhaus and New Objectivity – blossomed and were linked by artists’ shared interest in radical experimentation across all areas of the visual arts including painting, sculpture, graphic art, decorative arts and design, photography and film.

The title of the exhibition – The mad square – is drawn from Felix Nussbaum’s painting depicting Berlin’s famous city square Pariser Platz as a crazy and fantastic place. ‘The mad square’ is both a place – the city represented in so many works in the exhibition – and a state of mind which gives these works their edgy quality. Beginning with Expressionists’s visions of a world on the brink of an apocalypse, the exhibition explores the cathartic effects of the World War I. War is portrayed as a dynamic, modern force but also one which tears society apart, creating fear, anxiety and violence. This mood of social and political turbulence continues in works produced during the revolutionary period 1918–19, when artists addressed political and social issues with a heightened sense of urgency. Major works by Max Beckmann show how political extremism invaded every aspect of life. The various manifestations of Dada in Germany are presented through the work of Christian Schad, Kurt Schwitters and Max Ernst. The exhibition highlights the provocative First International Dada Fair held in Berlin in 1920 which included many photo-montages as well as Dada publications. The legacy of innovation left by the Bauhaus on 20th-century art, design and culture is also explored through significant pieces such as Wagenfeld and Jucker’s Table lamp 1923–24 and Marcel Breuer’s Club chair c1928–-29. Other works show the move from early handcrafted objects to more streamlined, mass-produced furniture and designs for which the Bauhaus is most renowned. The metropolis provided a rich source of imagery for artists. Many views of Berlin in the 1920s focused on leisure, entertainment and the city at night, including Berlin’s seedy underbelly.

A group of realist portraits demonstrate the mid 1920s movement that known as Neue Sachlichkeit or New Objectivity. The exhibition concludes with a section on art and power in the 1930s, focusing on the rise of fascism and the disastrous consequences for modern art in Germany. After the seizure of power by Hitler in 1933, modern artists were forbidden to work or exhibit, their works were confiscated from leading museums and then destroyed or sold cheaply at auction. The 1937 Degenerate art exhibition in Munich was the most notorious example of the Nazis’ campaign against modernism. A number of works that were exhibited together with documentary photographs are included to highlight the great creativity and stylistic diversity of modernism in opposition to the derogatory ways in which the Nazis sought to ridicule and destroy modern art. The sheer forcefulness and directness of many of the works in this exhibition stem from the tension that is created by representing a view of modernity that was hopeful, dynamic and vibrant on the one hand but dysfunctional and vulnerable on the other.

Established in 1874, the Art Gallery of NSW is proud to present fine international and Australian art in one of the most beautiful art museums in the world. We aim to be a place of experience and inspiration, through our collection, exhibitions, programs and research. Modern and contemporary works are displayed in expansive, light-filled spaces, offering stunning views of Sydney and the harbour, while our splendid Grand Courts are home to a distinguished collection of colonial and 19th-century Australian works and European old masters. There are also dedicated galleries celebrating the arts of Asia and Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander art. Alongside our permanent collection are regularly changing temporary exhibitions – more than 30 each year – including flagship annual exhibitions such as the Archibald Prize and ARTEXPRESS. One of the most popular art museums in Australia, visited by over 1.3 million people annually, the Gallery is far more than just a destination for looking at pictures. It’s also a place to enjoy lectures and symposia, films, music and performances, meet friends for a meal or coffee in the cafe or restaurant, or browse in the Gallery Shop. Our range of access programs is aimed at engaging diverse audiences with different needs. And more than 100 000 students visit each year to take part in our engaging and stimulating education programs. Visit the museum's website at ... http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au

---

Click on logo below to add this article to your favorite Social Website ~