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Expressionist Black and White Photography

EXPRESSIONIST STYLE

While “expressionist” is used to describe any art that avoids naturalism and instead employs a bold use of flattened forms and intense brushwork, Expressionist art formally describes early-20th-century work from Europe that drew on Symbolism and confronted issues such as urbanization and capitalism. Expressionist artists experimented in paintings and prints with skewed perspectives, abstraction and unconventional, bright colors to portray how isolating and anxious the world felt rather than how it appeared. 

Between 1905 and 1920, Austrian and German artists, in particular, were inspired by Postimpressionists such as Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh in their efforts to strive for a new authenticity in their work. In its geometric patterns and decorative details, Expressionist art was also marked by eclectic sources like German and Russian folk art as well as tribal art from Africa and Oceania, which the movement’s practitioners witnessed at museums and world’s fairs.

Groups of artists came together to share and promote the themes now associated with Expressionism, such as Die Brücke (The Bridge) in Dresden, which included Erich Heckel, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff and investigated alienation and the dissolution of society in vivid color. In Munich, Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider), a group led by Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc, instilled Expressionism with a search for spiritual truths. In his iconic painting The Scream, prolific Norwegian painter Edvard Munch conveyed emotional turmoil through his depiction of environmental elements, such as the threatening sky.

Expressionism shifted around the outbreak of World War I, with artists using more elements of the grotesque in reaction to the escalation of unrest and violence. Printmaking was especially popular, as it allowed artists to widely disseminate works that grappled with social and political issues amid this time of upheaval. Although the art movement ended with the rise of Nazi Germany, where Expressionist creators were labeled “degenerate,” the radical ideas of these artists would influence Neo-Expressionism that emerged in the late 1970s with painters like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Francesco Clemente.

​​Find a collection of authentic Expressionist paintings, sculptures, prints and more art on 1stDibs.

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Style: Expressionist
Gold Dust
Located in East Hampton, NY
Black & White Photography Gold Dust Printed to Order Unframed Also available in 20"x30" The area that would become Gold Point, one of Nevada’s best ghost towns, was first settled ...
Category

2010s Expressionist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

The Only Other Thing
Located in East Hampton, NY
Palm Springs , California Photography Edition of 10 UNFRAMED: Print to Order About the Artist: Short Biography in a Nutshell: A fun journey My first foray into the art world was ...
Category

2010s Expressionist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

The Dance of Zlatio Zlatev, Original Silver Gelatin Photograph, Bulgaria 1989
By Jacko Vassilev
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Jacko Vassilev, Bulgarian ( born 1951 - ) Title: The Dance of Zlatio Zlatev, Ex Pilot Medium: Original Silver Gelatin Print Edition: 19/50 Year: 1989 Story behind the photograph: The photograph seen above was taken of Zlatio Zlatev who had served for Bulgaria’s King Boris III as his top pilot. When the Communists took the power in Bulgaria, he was offered to work for the new government as a bomber pilot. He refused to work for the new regime and was stamped as an "anticommunist element". Due to his refusal Zlatio was sent to forced labor political camp where he spent nearly 15 years and fell victim to the totalitarian side of communism. During that time in Bulgaria there were over 50 political camps where they claimed, "The Brain of the Nation was destroyed"! When Bulgaria become free state from Communism in 1989 a National Celebration was held in the political camp honoring all the people who lost their lives there and granted the survivors as National Heroes! On that day Jacko Vassilev was privileged to witness the celebration of Zlatio and this photograph was HIS DANCE OF FREEDOM!!!! After the dance, Jacko walked to him and wanted to share his deep emotions of capturing this special moments and told him: "Zlatio, your hands are likes a wings in the air." And he answered: "My wings..... They broke them, but not the Spirit"! Artist Bio: I was born in communist Bulgaria. As a boy, I had dreamed of freedom and a simple life. In my late twenties I put my dreams to the test and attempted to escape the Bulgarian regime. I tried to pass the barbed wire fences guarded by border patrols, but I was caught, beaten and tossed into a slave labor camp. Instead of building up hate, the harsh conditions in the camp built my strength. I learned how to survive. My body suffered, but my mind became clearer. My photography was my artistic expression of the world around me however the communist dictatorship considered it anti-communist propaganda and I had to keep my treasures hidden underground. After the communist regime fell, I traveled around Europe and accomplished my dream of becoming a published photographer in Paris and later moved to the USA. The willingness to confront even the most difficult obstacle in life strongly informs my work to this day. There is a thread of optimism that connects the people I’ve portrayed, even when they are shown in the most vulnerable moments. There is no difference between myself and them, they are photographers of life, and I am the countryman...
Category

1980s Expressionist Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Strength - NYC Architecture Photography, 36"x52", Signed Limited Edition of 5
Located in New York, NY
" I wanted to find a symbol of strength and resiliency for NYC and through the framing of the Empire State Building by the Manhattan Bridge, and I believe it is represented here. The...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Black and White Photography

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"Model in black & white" Photography on canvas
Located in Carmel, CA
Malissa - "Model in black & white" Photography on canvas The photograph comes with a certificate of authenticity and a letter of appraisal.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Black and White Photography

Materials

Canvas, Photographic Film, Black and White

Sound of the Sea
Located in Boston, MA
Artist Commentary: Using an x-ray photograph as its basis, this expressive study in motion echoes work by Picasso and other modernists. Words that describe this piece: shell, Nauti...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

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Expressionist black and white photography for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Expressionist black and white photography available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Gerard Giliberti, James Mannix, Viet Chu, and Harold Davis. Frequently made by artists working with Archival Pigment Print, and Pigment Print and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Expressionist black and white photography, so small editions measuring 3.94 inches across are also available. Prices for black and white photography made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $300 and tops out at $6,000, while the average work sells for $600.

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