Tingeltangel Singer (Tingeltangel-Sangerin) 1907

Curator: Emil Nolde created this print, “Tingeltangel Singer,” or “Tingeltangel-Sängerin” in 1907. What strikes you immediately about this piece? Editor: Well, there’s an undeniable melancholy to it. The stark lines, the figure’s isolation against the tan background – it feels like a moment captured not of performance, but perhaps of quiet contemplation afterward. Curator: Absolutely. Nolde was part of the Die Brücke movement, and you can see the echoes of Expressionism in the rawness and emotional charge he imbues in the image. Tingeltangel refers to a form of popular entertainment in Berlin, kind of like a music hall, which was a space of complex socio-political exchanges. How might this be informing the artwork? Editor: I think you are right to bring up social history. Considering the print through that lens, one must reflect upon who this figure could be – a woman performing for primarily male patrons. One cannot overlook that she occupies a marginalized, almost liminal role. How do the colors play into that, for you? Curator: For me, the use of ochre and black heightens the sense of alienation. This singer becomes emblematic of the complex dynamic between performer and audience, agency and objectification within these spaces. And consider, too, how the cabarets themselves served as political outlets, often subverting the dominant culture. Editor: Precisely. There is that undercurrent of tension, the hint of something darker beneath the surface glamour. It almost feels like a precursor to Weimar era art, hinting at societal anxieties. Nolde’s capture of this figure feels very perceptive. Curator: I agree. Considering Expressionism as not just a stylistic choice, but as a reflection of cultural unease makes Nolde’s work even more powerful. Thanks for helping flesh out the complexities within Nolde's piece today. Editor: My pleasure. Understanding the social fabric is crucial, I think, to truly understanding this potent image.