Steeped in raw emotion and sensivity, expressionism does away with traditional forms of artistry. Unlike more conventional artistic styles, expressionism disregards objective reality. Instead, this revolutionary art form draws attention to the feelings and responses that events evoke. As a modernist movement, expressionism intends to disrupt the status quo. Through exaggeration, distortion, fantasy, and primitivism, it does just that.
Hallmarked for its subjectivity and self-expression, the beauty of expressionism is that it fits no mold. The artist is free to play with movement, perspective, and intensity, often resulting in gesture, abstract, and even feminine drawings. In other words, expressionism draws no line in the sand, allowing the creator to flex their creative muscles as they see fit. The rise of expressionism is as intriguing and inspiring as the art form itself. When expressionism came into prominence in Germany, it was in response to humanity’s lack of authenticity.
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Fritz Bleyl, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, and Erich Heckel are credited with kick-starting expressionism. Their association, Die Brucke, sought to revolt against the superficialities that impressionism conveyed. With that said, they set out to refine German art through spontaneous expression. While these German architecture students banded together in 1905, it was earlier artists who unknowingly laid the groundwork for expressionism.
Eager to combine sensivity with spirituality, artists like Vincent van Gogh, Edvard Munch, and James Ensor helped breathe life into the movement. Using elements like color and line, these artists gave rise to dramatic, unexplored themes. Fear, horror, and abnormality were among a few. As a result, these notable names proved highly influential in the upbringing of expressionism, and they urged their fellow artists to deviate from literal representations by altering their outlook and state of mind.
As expressionism began to take the 20th century by storm, it ushered in an era of unprecedented innovation and judgment of art. While producing art, the unspoken rule was that artists should create from within. The hope was that this newfangled approach would help depict unusual yet inspired portrayals of the external world. It didn’t take long for this form of artistry to become the standard, and expressionism proved so exhilarating that artists invented cutting-edge techniques to design abstract drawings.
To shape a new line or to add texture, swirling and swaying methods were used. Exaggerated brushstrokes also helped illustrate an irregular gesture or body movement. To elicit an even stronger response, expressionist artists would intentionally trigger social criticism by painting alienated individuals like prostitutes. The efforts of Kirchner, Ensor, and similar artists were so impactful that expressionism remains an established art form today.
Tery Fuentes is a present-day expressionist artist, and her artwork is in perfect keeping with the peculiarities of this centuries-old movement. No doubt a mover and shaker, Fuentes ruffles the feathers of conventional creators with her forward-thinking, unique, and sometimes feminine creations. Her love for animals is evident in much of her work, with many of her pieces including pictures of cats and dogs. Fuentes often showcases her work on Instagram @teryfuentes, and her substantial following bespeaks her relevance as an expressionist expert. She also has a store where you can browse and buy her merchandise, which you’ll find here.