New Objectivity and Expressionism

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Image result for objectivity art Image result for expressionism
I found New Objectivity particularly interesting, as it sought, in a strange reversal, to rebel against Expressionism by emphasizing the mundane. In this regard, I believe Expressionism represents a romantic lens through which to view daily life, whereas New Objectivity seeks the truth of daily life. In this pursuit, they weren’t necessarily pessimistic, just as Expressionism isn’t necessarily more optimistic. I will seek to first break down the differences in tactics between the two to portray their meaning, and then I will break down the differences between the meanings themselves.
In Expressionism, it distorts daily life through several avenues: warping forms, dulling or brightening colors, or simply portraying impossible situations in which to frame the emotion they seek to portray. Overall, Expressionism deals in emotion and the metaphysical: curiosity, doubt, lust, and fury all inflict themselves on the surroundings first and foremost, shaping the world and thereby the mood of the painting.
In New Objectivity, however, the artist returns to the physical world first, exploring its subtleties from the perspective of one who seeks its indetectable details. In a sense, the artist is submitting to a greater force: reality. Rather than exerting their will upon the world they paint, they explore the will of the world as it already is, hoping to understand it, perhaps knowing they’re likely to fail.

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