Description
Book Synopsis: The paradox at the heart of the return to realism in the interwar years, as seen in work by Moholy-Nagy, Brecht, and others.The human figure made a spectacular return in visual art and literature in the 1920s. Following modernism's withdrawal, nonobjective painting gave way to realistic depictions of the body and experimental literary techniques were abandoned for novels with powerfully individuated characters. But the celebrated return of the human in the interwar years was not as straightforward as it may seem. In Realism after Modernism, Devin Fore challenges the widely accepted view that this period represented a return to traditional realist representation and its humanist postulates. Interwar realism, he argues, did not reinstate its nineteenth-century predecessor but invoked realism as a strategy of mimicry that anticipates postmodernist pastiche.
Through close readings of a series of works by German artists and writers of the period, Fore investigates five artistic devices that were central to interwar realism. He analyzes Bauhaus polymath László Moholy-Nagy's use of linear perspective; three industrial novels riven by the conflict between the temporality of capital and that of labor; Brecht's socialist realist plays, which explore new dramaturgical principles for depicting a collective subject; a memoir by Carl Einstein that oscillates between recollection and self-erasure; and the idiom of physiognomy in the photomontages of John Heartfield.
Fore's readings reveal that each of these “rehumanized” works in fact calls into question the very categories of the human upon which realist figuration is based. Paradoxically, even as the human seemed to make a triumphal return in the culture of the interwar period, the definition of the human and the integrity of the body were becoming more tenuous than ever before. Interwar realism did not hearken back to earlier artistic modes but posited new and unfamiliar syntaxes of aesthetic encounter, revealing the emergence of a human subject quite unlike anything that had come before.
Details
Experience the captivating journey of Realism after Modernism: The Rehumanization of Art and Literature (October Books). Discover the paradox that lies at the heart of the artistic movement in the interwar years, where the return to realism revolutionized visual art and literature. Step into a world where nonobjective painting gave way to vivid depictions of the human figure and experimental techniques were abandoned for narratives with powerfully individuated characters.
Realism after Modernism, authored by Devin Fore, challenges the widely accepted view that this period marked a return to traditional realist representation. Instead, it invites readers to uncover the hidden brilliance of interwar realism as a strategy of mimicry that foreshadows the emergence of postmodernist pastiche. Through meticulous analysis of the works of German artists and writers, Fore unravels the five artistic devices that were central to interwar realism and redefines the very essence of the human subject.
Uncover the brilliance of Bauhaus polymath László Moholy-Nagy's use of linear perspective, as it transcends the boundaries of perception. Immerse yourself in three industrial novels that vividly portray the clash between the temporality of capital and labor. Explore Bertolt Brecht's socialist realist plays, which ingeniously redefine dramatic principles to capture the essence of collective consciousness. Delve into Carl Einstein's memoir, where recollection and self-erasure intertwine on a deeply personal level. Witness the power of physiognomy in John Heartfield's mesmerizing photomontages and enter a realm where the definition of humanity itself becomes a dazzling enigma.
Realism after Modernism offers an unparalleled perspective that challenges the established norms of artistic representation. Join us as we embark on a remarkable journey through the interwar years, where realism emerges not as a nostalgic echo of the past, but as a radical reimagining of aesthetic encounter. Experience a human subject unlike anything the world has seen before.
Unearth the secrets of interwar realism and redefine your understanding of artistic boundaries. Click here to embark on this extraordinary adventure.
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