Expressionist
The body as vehicle for emotional truth. Distortion, gesture, and intensity over beauty.
Historical Context
German Expressionism (1910s-1920s) used distortion and intensity to express inner psychological states. In photography, the expressionist impulse manifests as gestural energy, grain, and the embrace of imperfection.
Defining Characteristics
- Emotional intensity over beauty
- Gestural energy
- Deliberate imperfection
- Psychological presence
- Distortion as expression
Reference Artists
- Diane Arbus
- Lisette Model
- Bill Brandt
- Andre Kertesz
Works in this style
Movement in Radiant Geometry
Seated Figure in Ink
Coiled Spring
Crouching Form in Watercolor
Reclining Figure in Black Wash
Reclining, 1918
Gesture in Black Ink
Seated Nude with Raised Arm
Quiet Repose in Sepia
Contour in Repose
Study in Contour, 1913