Thinking Activity: Trends and Movement

 This Task Assigned by Megha Ma'am 

( Department of English MKBU)

This blog is about different art and literary movements that have shaped creative expression over time. We explored Expressionism, Surrealism, and Dadaism in our classroom through discussions and creative activities here below explain these movements in simple terms and share our creative work

Expressionism

Expressionism is an early 20th-century artistic and literary movement that focuses on expressing intense emotions rather than depicting reality. It uses bold colors, distorted figures, and exaggerated forms in art, as seen in Edvard Munch’s The Scream, and explores themes of anxiety and alienation in literature, like Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis. Expressionist theater and film, such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, use dramatic lighting and surreal settings to create psychological depth. In our classroom activity, we explored Expressionism through painting, poetry, and photography, expressing raw emotions and subjective experiences, making this movement more personal and relatable.

Key Features of Expressionism:

• Strong emotions and personal expression
• Bold colors and distorted figures in art
• Themes of anxiety, fear, and inner conflict
• Rejection of traditional realism
• Focus on individual perception rather than objective reality

In this classroom activity on Expressionism, students engaged in a creative exploration of emotions and personal perspectives. Expressionism, as an artistic and literary movement, focuses on conveying raw emotions rather than realistic depictions.

Surrealism 

Surrealism is an artistic and literary movement that emerged in the early 20th century, influenced by Sigmund Freud’s theories of the unconscious mind. It sought to break free from rational thought and explore the world of dreams, imagination, and subconscious desires. Surrealist artists and writers used unexpected juxtapositions, illogical scenes, and strange imagery to challenge reality and traditional artistic conventions.

Key features of Surrealism include:

• Dreamlike and irrational scenes
• Unexpected and bizarre combinations of objects
• Exploration of the subconscious mind
• Free association and automatic writing in literature
• Inspired by Freud’s psychoanalysis

Surrealism emerged in the early 1920s as a cultural movement that sought to revolutionize art, literature, and thought by unlocking the power of the unconscious mind. It was officially founded in 1924 when André Breton, a French poet and writer, published the Surrealist Manifesto, defining the movement as a means of expressing pure thought free from reason, logic, and societal constraints. Influenced by Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis, Surrealists believed that dreams and the subconscious held deeper truths than rational thought.

 

Dadaism

Dadaism was an avant-garde art movement that emerged during World War I (1916) in Zurich, Switzerland, as a response to the chaos and destruction caused by the war. It rejected logic, reason, and traditional artistic values, embracing absurdity, randomness, and anti-art expressions. Founded by artists and writers like Tristan Tzara, Hugo Ball, Jean Arp, and Marcel Duchamp, Dadaism sought to challenge societal norms and question the very definition of art.

Key Features of Dadaism

• Anti-art philosophy: Dadaists rejected conventional beauty and artistic techniques.

• Collage and assemblage: They used found objects, newspaper clippings, and random materials to create art.

• Absurdity and nonsense: Many Dada works contained meaningless words, strange images, and chaotic forms

• Chance and spontaneity: Instead of structured compositions, Dada artists let randomness guide their creativity.

• Political and social critique: Many Dada artworks and performances mocked authority, war, and capitalism.

As part of our exploration of Dadaism, we conducted a creative classroom activity that embraced randomness, absurdity, and rejection of traditional artistic norms. The image above represents a Dada-inspired artwork, where torn paper, random cutouts, and contrasting colors come together to challenge conventional aesthetics. The irregular shapes and scattered holes break the structured lines of the notebook paper, reflecting Dada’s anti-art philosophy.

Conclusion 

This blog explored Expressionism, Surrealism, and Dadaism, highlighting their impact on art and literature. Through classroom activities like painting, poetry, and photography, we experienced these movements firsthand, expressing emotions, imagination, and creative rebellion. These artistic styles continue to inspire modern creativity, proving that art is more than just representation—it is a powerful form of expression and innovation.