Dance of Negros 

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s “Dance of Negros” depicts a performance, perhaps in Germany, where it was created. The image reveals as much about German attitudes as it does about the performers themselves. The dancers' bodies are intertwined, almost melding into one, their faces masks. What does it mean for Kirchner to present the dancers in this way? The Expressionist movement to which Kirchner belonged often portrayed modern life as alienating, a world where individuals were cut off from nature and each other. Is this what is at play here? Or is it an example of how European artists othered people from different cultural backgrounds? In trying to answer these questions, we need to understand the dynamics of the art world, by consulting exhibition records, reviews, and the artist’s writings. By placing the artwork in its cultural context, we can gain a better understanding of how social and institutional forces shape the meaning of art.