Neo-expressionism facts for kids
Neo-expressionism is a style of painting and sculpture that started in the late 1970s. Artists who used this style were sometimes called Transavantgarde (meaning "beyond the avant-garde") or Neue Wilden (meaning "the new wild ones") in Germany.
This art style is known for showing strong feelings and using materials in a rough, expressive way.
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What is Neo-expressionism?
Neo-expressionism began as a reaction against other art styles from the 1970s, like conceptual art and minimal art. These earlier styles often focused on ideas or very simple shapes.
Neo-expressionist artists returned to painting things that people could easily recognize, such as the human body. They often painted these subjects in a rough, emotional way, using bright and vivid colors.
Inspirations for the style
Neo-expressionism was greatly inspired by earlier German Expressionist painters. Some of these famous artists include Emil Nolde, Max Beckmann, George Grosz, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, James Ensor, and Edvard Munch.
The style also has connections to other art movements:
- Lyrical Abstraction from the 1960s and 1970s in America.
- The Hairy Who group in Chicago.
- The Bay Area Figurative School from the 1950s and 1960s.
- The continuation of Abstract Expressionism.
- Some ideas from Pop art.
- A style called New Image Painting, which appeared in the late 1970s. This style used strong, cartoon-like pictures and rough brushstrokes. A 1978 art show at the Whitney Museum helped make New Image Painting well-known.
Neo-expressionism around the world
This art movement was popular in different parts of the world, but it had different names:
- In Italy, it was known as Transavanguardia.
- In Germany, it was called Neue Wilden.
- In France, a group called Figuration Libre was formed in 1981, which also showed similar ideas.
See also
- Expressionism
- Postmodernism
- Postmodern art
- New European Painting
