Gewitter; aus; ‘Die 150 Blätter’ 1940

Editor: This is *Gewitter; aus; \u2018Die 150 Bl\u00e4tter\u2019* by Karl Wiener, created in 1940 using watercolor and coloured pencil. There's something quite unsettling about it – the distorted perspective and the stark colour contrasts create a very anxious atmosphere. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Considering its historical context, made in 1940, it’s impossible to ignore the socio-political tension of the time. The title, translating to "Thunderstorm," can be seen as a metaphor. Does this woman appear to you as caught in the storm of events, maybe the rise of fascism? Editor: That makes a lot of sense. The exaggerated proportions and uneasy pose, almost like she's about to fall, now speak to a sense of precarity, maybe a world on the brink. Curator: Exactly. Expressionism often reflects inner turmoil through outward distortion. It is important to think how such works, made during the war, helped artists and the public process collective anxieties about their social role, about an imagery in service of power. What do you think about her clothes? Editor: I hadn’t thought of that – her clothes do appear dated. That could locate her not only in time, but possibly reference class too. Maybe a depiction of someone about to lose their ordinary life and identity because of exterior forces. Curator: Precisely. Think about how these kinds of images circulated and functioned at the time. Expressionism in art became a tool for resistance. And think how institutions preserved or erased art works as means of propagating different agendas. Editor: I’ve always seen art as a timeless creation, but it is striking how much the historical context impacts how we interpret and understand this piece. Curator: It really adds depth, doesn't it? Recognizing art's dialogue with its time makes the experience far more rewarding.