Lied I 1914

Editor: Here we have Albert Bloch’s “Lied I,” an oil painting from 1914. There's such a dramatic use of color and the figures seem caught in a tumultuous landscape. It’s quite evocative. What do you see when you look at this piece? Curator: I see a confluence of Expressionist concerns manifesting materially. Bloch's thick application of oil paint and vibrant, almost jarring, color choices aren’t just aesthetic; they reflect the anxieties and societal upheavals bubbling under the surface of pre-war Europe. Look at how the bodies are rendered, seemingly manufactured from color; the labor is visible. Editor: Manufactured from color, I like that! I guess the material process mirrors some kind of social production? Curator: Exactly! And think about the title, "Lied," which means song in German. Song is created with great skill, and the visual discord is intentional, speaking to a disruption in the harmonious "song" of society, reflected in both the materiality and subject. Where do you think Bloch got the materials to make his painting? Editor: Hmm, well, he would have had to purchase them, so... how does consumerism figure into it? Curator: Precisely! He is an agent embedded in commercial distribution networks, using the labor of others. That's not incidental here; he is an artist critiquing modernity, through his interaction with commodity and visible production, while using the formal techniques he has honed. Editor: That makes so much sense. I hadn't considered the relationship between materials, production, and the overall message of societal disruption. Thank you for the fresh insights into its cultural contexts. Curator: Indeed. Considering art through its materiality brings to light so many unseen connections between creation, labor, and consumption.