Affen I und II 1908

Editor: This is "Affen I und II" by Edvard Munch, created in 1908, using ink and pen on paper. I find it quite unsettling, this almost obsessive study of monkeys. What strikes you when you look at this drawing? Curator: Munch’s choice of subject matter during this period, specifically these drawings of monkeys, speaks volumes about the artist's mindset. Given that it was made in 1908, right after his nervous breakdown, these primates become really poignant stand-ins. Are they simply studies, or something more? Editor: Stand-ins for what exactly? The drawings feel raw and immediate, more like sketches from a zoo than a formal piece. Curator: Consider the historical context. While Expressionism focused on subjective experience, the asylum where Munch resided aimed to "treat" such subjectivity. Did his work become a coded language in such a space? Also, look at how many simian studies exist from this era. Are these drawings, as reflections on society, perhaps mirroring then-contemporary anxieties about humanity's animalistic nature? Editor: That’s fascinating. It never occurred to me to think of this as Munch reflecting on his own perceived madness through the depiction of animals, not landscapes or people. Curator: The location, the period, and the imagery – it all coalesces into a potent statement on sanity, otherness, and the human condition. Considering the social discourse of that time, with prevailing prejudices and medical perspectives, the monkeys become loaded figures. Don't you think? Editor: Absolutely, I now view Munch’s work with a renewed sense of historical awareness and intention. Curator: And hopefully, this makes us a more empathetic viewer, now considering how public views and institutions shaped what we even consider "art" from figures like Munch.