Introduction to German Expressionism ****************************************************************************************** * Introduction to German Expressionism ****************************************************************************************** 30. 10. 2012; By:Ivana Herglová, Proofreading: Lorna Stephen ; Section: English Digest Lisa Schulze (Erasmus student at the Faculty of Arts  during the 2008/9 academic year, ori Freie Universität Berlin) and Nina Müller (Erasmus student  at the Faculty of Education du semester 2011/12, from Pädagogische Hochschule Karlsruhe) both joined the voluntary teachi “Europe Meets School” while they were studying at Charles University Prague. One being a H student and the other studying Art Education, they both decided on an Art Education projec introduce the bright, unmixed colours and simple shapes of German Epressionism, focusing o (Der Blaue Reiter) group to the children. We have approached them to learn more about thei      Lisa, Nina, … You have both decided to introduce German Expressionism to the children in your host class Europe Meets School projects. Is it your own favourite period in (German) Art History or r feel that it would be a suitable topic to work with the children on? Nina: I chose the topic of German Expressionism because I had written an academic paper ab and German Expressionism shortly before my Europe Meets School project took place. I reall and thought it to be well suited to children as well as teenagers. I like German expressionism a lot, but I cannot say that it is my most favourite art movem many interesting aspects about different art periods and I value and appreciate many diffe movements. Lisa: During my Art History studies , I grew fond of the majority of modernist art movemen because of their relationship with and position in regard to contemporary politics. Expressionism seems to me particularly worthy and appropriate for working with children. T movement already indicates its main idea. The innermost of a person could be expressed thr of art: colour, form and lines as a direct expression and translation of moods and feeling the expressionists seem to have created artworks that can easily be understood by people f age groups, as well as social and cultural backgrounds. Therefore, also the communication Czech children and a German student was not impeded too much by a language barrier. Althou translator, words were not the only language used during this afternoon, but also fervent blue and vibrant green. The part of the German Expressionism you both concentrated on was the Bavarian group “Der Reiter” (The Blue Rider). Could you tell us a little bit about it? Lisa: "Der Blaue Reiter" was a modernist art movement in which the artists were loosely co mostly in. It was founded in 1911 and existed until World War I. Some of its important mem Marc, Wassily Kandinsky, August Macke and Lyonel Feininger. The name of the group probably derives from Kandinsky's and Marc's passion for horses and according to Kandinsky's theoretical artistic concepts the colour blue symbolizes spiritua expressionist movement in general attempted to explore the fantastic, the unconscious of t mind. This is best described by Paul Klee's declaration "Art does not represent the visibl visible." Expressionist artists shared a great interest in medieval art, primitivisms, folk art, art indigenous peoples, children and the mentally ill. They appreciated those art forms for th more spontaneous and therefore more authentic approach to expression through artistic gest "Der Blaue Reiter" was more metaphysical than for example "Die Brücke". Through the formal vibrant and intense colours, simplification of forms, abandonment of perspective leading t neglecting the figurative and indulging in the abstract (especially Kandinsky) human instr expression actually expanded in and through art. Nina: Franz Marc mainly painted animals. He was not just interested in their anatomy, but represented to him a spiritual attitude. He saw in animals “purity and communion with natu had lost.” Instead of using abstract forms to express his feelings, he “identified feeling existence in nature” and he used colour to express conflict or harmony. Franz Marc’s animals was the topic that you both selected as the task for the younger chil host classes. Lisa asked the children in her class to paint their own pet or favourite ani their feelings while using colours in a way the Expressionist artists usually did; Nina su the children should paint any animal they wanted and portray their significance to the out applying the colours such as the Expressionists did (e.g. a lion or a snake are dangerous was considered to be a cuddly, friendly pet by the children, etc.). Were you satisfied wit work? Lisa: In Berlin I have been organizing birthday parties for children aged 3 to 7. I always children of this age group tend to be very passionate about what they are doing – they are for an activity and totally consumed by it or they do not like it at all – as a person tak one notices this immediately. Moreover, I like how younger children tend to open up quickl into their world. I enjoyed working with the little ones quite a lot. I asked them to paint their favourite express how those animals were feeling on this day and how they themselves felt towards th some exotic animals to enter our class as well – and I was not disappointed: some of the f included camels, elephants and lions. It was very interesting to observe how some children animals realistically. We had a yellow-brownish lion and a black cat. But those were joine and a very colourful lizard. The children also put a lot of effort into decorating the bac pictures: meadows full of flowers, but also more abstract emotional landscapes. Nina: I think the children painted extraordinarily well and I liked their colour combinati To put the animal in a suitable context would have been the next step. I was happy to see already approaching this step. In the second class attended by the older children, Lisa switched the topic to portrait in Expressionist style, while Nina continued with the topic of animals. Was it very different older pupils for you, no matter what the topic of their work was? Lisa: I appreciated working with both age groups. Therefore, I equally enjoyed the afterno older children as one can be a bit more intellectual with them already. I was able to not Expressionism as a collection of colourful imaginative pictures, but to go more into detai theory behind it and the historic context of this movement. I switched to portraits with the older children as I assumed that the genre of portrait co entertaining challenge for them. The task was to paint their neighbours, representing the might be in by expressionist means. This required a high level of attention and the will t other in detail in order to discover their special features and also how they felt at that first, some of the children were a little bit shy to look at somebody else so thoroughly. more and more confident. As a result some of the pictures were stunningly realistic wherea dared to apply those exceptional colours and dominant lines. Nina: I think that the topic of painting animals in an expressionistic way is suited for c adults alike. In fact I think it is very interesting to see how the conception of animals on the age of a person. I adjusted the way of presenting the topic of German Expressionism, however. The older stu more detailed and theoretical input than the younger pupils. Having said that, most of the in my class were also still quite young. For both of you, joining Europe Meets School was not the only extracurricular activity tha participated in while studying in Prague. Lisa was writing for the web magazine Tschechien joined the Charles University Choir. Could you tell us something about these activities? Lisa: Besides my studies at Charles University I was an eager explorer of Prague's culture of museums, exhibitions, cinemas and especially coffee house culture (one of my final proj alternative culture class consisted of a guide to my favourite coffee places). Therefore, excited when I heard about the opportunity to be an intern for the web magazine “Tschechie platform is run by two very enthusiastic Germans who fell in love with Prague some years a permanently. Now they are informing the German public about Prague and the Czech Republic articles include analysis of the current political and economic situation in Czech Republi tips for trips to Czech cities and outings to the country side. I was mainly contributing section of this website. This covered reviews of concerts and exhibitions as well as blog (not only) cultural experiences in Prague. One of the best things, besides the journalisti a free pass for the human rights film festival “Jeden Svět – One World”. Nina: In fact I joined quite a few extracurricular activities. One of them was singing in University Choir. Another activity offered by the Art Education Department in the Faculty a course in bookbinding. The third one was participating in Art History classes for Americ friend of mine had told me about the possibility to join these Art History lectures. I was happy to be given the opportunity to go and participate in all these activities. I d learning new things and for some of those courses you would probably pay quite a bit, if i possibility to take part in them as an Erasmus student. And, of course, these activities were fun too! You both lived in the Charles University Hall of Residence Hostivař during your study stay University (in the last 5 years, this has been the Hall of Residence where the majority of have been housed ; since winter semester 2012/13 a large number of Erasmus students are al Hvězda and Větrník Halls of Residence) . What are the pros and cons of living with the oth students? Lisa: The international experience which goes along with living in Hostivař was definitely I very much enjoyed our spontaneous improvised dinners in the hallways attended by many pe the highlights was our classy Christmas dinner, where everybody provided a (Christmas) spe their country. Our parties with different themes in every floor were also a lot of fun. On start a more or less serious conversation about culture in general and learn a lot about d countries. Nevertheless, I am not a proponent of a hall of residence inhabited on the whole by Erasmu was definitely interesting to broaden my knowledge about Spain, France or Poland, but I ca become acquainted with Czechs and Czech culture. This was to a certain extent impeded by t Erasmus students and Czech students not only in my hall of residence, but also at universi in English were mainly attended by Erasmus students. I think that Erasmus students applyin accommodation  should have the choice between an "Erasmus hall of residence" enabling them the social advantages of their Erasmus stay and a place in a hall of residence where one c Czech students (note of the redaction: Charles University is once more trying this model i academic year 2012/13; the previous experience was however mostly negative since Czech stu their hall of residence  to be their home and place to study while many international stud primarily as a place to socialise). Nina: I met so many new people from all over the world in the Hostivař Hall of Residence a enjoyed living there. It is great when almost all your new friends live in the same Hall o The main reason for some Erasmus students to move out of Halls of Residence primarily is t to the university and the city centre. Nevertheless, the public transport connections to H very good. (Note of the redaction: Hostivař Hall of Residence is located just next to the Nádraží Hostivař providing a frequent 13-minute-connection to the city centre of Prague, b informed by the European Office, not many Erasmus students use this transportation option Thank you for the interview.