ekspresionisti

Ekspresionisti is the term used for artists and writers associated with Expressionism, a modernist movement that emerged in the early 20th century in Europe, especially Germany and Austria. Expressionism sought to convey subjective emotional experience rather than objective reality, often through distorted forms, bold lines, and vivid or unsettling color. The movement responded to rapid modernization, urban alienation, and the psychological impact of war, aiming to reveal inner truth and spiritual or social crises.

In visual arts, Expressionism developed in two prominent groups: Die Brücke (The Bridge), founded in 1905 in Dresden, and Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider), founded in 1911 in Munich. Key painters include Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Erich Heckel, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, Emil Nolde, Franz Marc, Kandinsky, and Paul Klee. Works emphasize emotional intensity, existential struggle, and a departure from naturalistic representation.

Expressionism also left a strong imprint on literature, theatre, and film. Writers such as Georg Trakl, Else Lasker-Schüler, Gottfried Benn, Ernst Toller, and others explored themes of alienation, oppression, and crisis through heightened language and fragmented form. In cinema, German Expressionism used stylized sets, dramatic lighting, and symbolic imagery to explore the subconscious and fear, with films like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) and Nosferatu (1922) shaping the genre.

The movement declined after World War I but influenced later art and cultural movements, contributing to a broader modernist shift toward exploring subjective experience in various media.