Modernity and Expressionist Art...

Rauchenberg (Monogram)

'Expressionist Art was a cultural movement that started in the early 20th century in Germany that emphasized 'being alive' through the emotional experience rather than physical reality.' The early Modernists which found its roots in France at the end of the 19th century, began to question how reality was perceived according to formal classical teachings of what perspective and reality was. Prior to this, much of Art was dictated by the Church which frustrated any individual attempts to reveal itself in any artistic expression. The Christian philosophy of the 'Golden rule' and the chain of being which made God the top of the chain of creation with man then woman, next all the birds and animals was very much how things were orchestrated. With the advent of the Industrial revolution at the turn of the century which began to use steel in architectural structures and building bridges, how people saw construction of material was revolutionized. It was the beginning of psycho-analysis with Sigman Freud who examined inner consciousness of the human psyche and the invention of the motor car, the micro-scope and photography changed how life was recorded. The idea of moving objects frozen in motion was reflected by artists in their works trough the influences of the medium of photography. These new evolving artists wished to express greater freedom and individuality in their creativity and questioned what 'reality' was. The perception was changing with exposure to these new realities and to other peoples such as earth cultures and Japanese prints. They explored line and form in space with color for a greater liberation and democracy. Artists like Van Gough used 'spirals', color and form to depict a greater spirituality. Many Modernists removed the lines of organized Religion and saw spirituality in a more universal way connecting all mankind. Many Artists like Picasso- an atheist, deconstructed line and form interjecting feelings as a further study and was the precuser toward freedom in abstract art. Later abstract expressionists sought to remove form and line completely to achieve this individual creative freedom.

My study in painting is completely from a Modernist/ abstract perspective verging on expressionism. I have began to explain some of the spiritual ways and freedoms that I seek to discover. I have never been a photo-Realist but attempted to examine line and form in space in order to reach what I call that point of 'infinity'( zero). It is where I believe all source of creation is centered and where true liberation and unconditional love is held (merely conjecture). I can get very abstract but pull it right back to simple form, shape and color. I like to work with the flow of the grain or brush stroke but will break these personal rules occasionally. I intend to now study the flow of line with nature and by constructing found objects such as feathers etc...

Robert Rauchenberg, a 1960's American abstract artist and pacifist, is a personal favorite of mine and an inspiration. I enjoy his constructed works in installation art as well as Native American and African earth cultures...