Feelings 1937

Editor: We’re looking at "Feelings," a 1937 print by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. The stark black and white, along with the exaggerated figures, creates a really unsettling, almost manic atmosphere for me. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Kirchner created this Expressionist woodcut in Switzerland, a country to which he relocated in 1917 to seek refuge from the war, but was clearly still traumatized. Notice how the contorted, almost grotesque figures evoke intense emotional distress and alienation, reflecting the socio-political anxiety of the time. How does the visual construction itself convey the feeling communicated by this artwork? Editor: I suppose the crude, jagged lines and distorted anatomy really amplify that feeling of unease. It's not just the figures themselves, but the way they're rendered. What role do you think the Expressionist style plays in conveying Kirchner's message here? Curator: The Expressionist style serves to amplify subjective experience. The figures aren't simply depicted; they are emotionally charged projections of Kirchner's internal state, embodying the fractured psyche of a post-war society. We need to ask ourselves whether we believe his mental illness may have informed his presentation of trauma? Editor: That makes a lot of sense. I had focused more on the abstract visual elements but placing it in its historical context really sheds a different light on its interpretation. Curator: Context is everything. Kirchner’s biography as an artist adds depth to this. Exploring Expressionism through historical context will help shape my future engagement.