Gabriele Münter, Portrait of Marianne von Werefkin. 1909. Lenbachhaus Munich.
Wassily Kandinsky is an established, familiar figure to those interested in modern art, but Gabriele Münter is less so. However, she should have greater prominence, as she was fundamental in developing ideas which have usually been credited to Kandinsky alone: Tate Modern’s richly varied exhibition should return her to her rightful place.
Both Münter and Kandinsky were founder members of a loose affiliation of artists called 'The Blue Rider', a group which also included Paul Klee, Marianne Werefkin and Franz Marc, among others. While they worked in a variety of styles, all were interested in the expressive power of colour, and, to a greater or lesser degree, a love of nature and of a natural spirituality.
In this talk with Dr Richard Stemp we explore the exhibition, examining the artists involved, discussing the ideas they shared in common, and looking at the differences between them. Above all, we discover the relevance of the group’s name, and its meaning for each of the artists.
The exhibition Expressionists: Kandinsky, Münter and the Blue Rider is at Tate Modern from 25 April to 20 October 2024.
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This is an online event hosted on Zoom which can be watched live, or on-demand for one month afterwards. You will receive your link to access the event in your email confirmation and the on-demand link after the event ends.