FundamentallySound Blog

Since a teenager, I've been attracted to the idea of expressionism, especially that of the German/Austrian variety. I like thinking of how one can squeeze out the power of an aesthetic concept in the most minimal way, whether it be the cubism of Picasso or the gut-wrenching tonalities of Schoenberg's Sechs kleine Klavierstucke. There's a sensuality to it, even in the works of Webern. Tying minimalism to expressionism might seem a bit odd, but they're both dealing with an attempt at getting to the heart of the matter with limited means, it's just that minimalism is a bit more angular and cerebral while expressionism is sensual, messy, and generally rather unfriendly.

I recently learned about the work of Egon Schiele. His work is striking and tight and impassioned, I would add him to my list of expressionists. I wish I could get to New York to see it at the Neue Galerie.