July 4th

chirp54
Sep 1, 2024
3 min read

In the US July 4th is Independence Day. Here in the UK, July 4th this year happens to be election day. As I waited to see if Labour would do as well as expected, I took myself to the Tate Modern. The outside of the building is unprepossessing; it was the old Bankside Power Station. The inside has been transformed into a modern, glass and steel marvel, befitting the art displayed inside.

I took the escalator up to one of the featured exhibitions, "Expressionists: Kandinsky, Münter and the Blue Rider" The Tate describes it as

...the groundbreaking work of a circle of friends and close collaborators known as The Blue Rider. In the early 20th century they came together to form, in their own words, ‘a union of various countries to serve one purpose’ – to transform modern art. The artists rallied around Wassily Kandinsky and Gabriele Münter to experiment with colour, sound and light, creating bold and vibrant art.

The Blue Rider was largely a Munich-based collective that grew out of personal bonds and connections formed in the early 1900s. It is mainly known for its two exhibitions and the Blue Rider Almanac, a volume of collected images and texts by artists and musicians.

One of the first images in the exhibition was one that I found really compelling. I don't know if it was the vivid colors, the quasi-pointillist aspect or what, but it really drew me in.

Riding Couple (1906-7):

I thought Kandinsky used the texture of the canvas beautifully.

Olga von Hartmann by Gabriele Münter (1910):

Self Portrait by Marianne Werefkin (c. 1910)

Gelmeroda III by Lyonel Feininger (1913)

Prize Fight by Albert Bloch (1912-13)

The exhibition notes that the city of Munich provided a relatively liberal and open environment, attracting marginalized artists from less tolerant societies. This included artists with Jewish ancestry from Eastern Europe and North America, artists from more conservative Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires, those who didn't fit in socially with their middle class privileged social group or those in pursuit of "unconventional romantic partnerships."

Portrait of Marianne Werefkin by Erma Bossi (1910):

The Dancer, Alexander Sacheroff by Marianne Werefkin (1909):

I found this plaque very interesting. It made me reflect on how the relative freedom of expression and sexual fluidity, once so accepted in Bavaria were so violently opposed within a decade or so with the rise of the National Socialist party, To me, it seems to mirror the way the far right has tried to nullify gains made by LBTQ+ today.

It was interesting to see how these artists' styles evolved over time.

Murnau - Footpath and houses by Wassily Kandinsky (1909):

Three of my favorite pieces were by Franz Marc.

In the Rain (1912):

Tiger (1912):

Cows, Red, Green, Yellow (1911):

The Blue Rider collective was concerned with the spiritual side of art as well. This drove them to experiment with color, form, sound and performance.

Kandinsky wrote a book "The Spiritual in Art" in which he communicated a vision for a new great spiritual age. It was translated and is still published internationally across the globe. With the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914 the collective was dispersed, but their ideas and aspirations for a transnational creative community still resonate today.

I popped up to the restaurant which is located in the tall, slim tower-like structure of the Tate. It's on the top floor and has a commanding view over London.

I then ventured on to "Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind" To be honest, I didn't really expect much from the exhibition because to me Yoko Ono had always seemed a bit odd, with a sensibility that I couldn't really relate to. I was pleasantly surprised to find it both interesting and quite moving.

Among the pieces was Bag Piece in which the audience is invited to get into a black bag and sit down on a white mat. When it first ran, people would sometimes remove their clothes inside the bag or nap or dance around. Sadly, nobody participated when I was there.