What might we learn from the different art movements that emerged in the early 20th century?
The early twentieth century was a time of huge change—wars, the Industrial Revolution, new technologies, and new art forms popping up everywhere. I think art is like a mirror for society. It reflects what’s going on around us because it shows how people think and feel about their world. Take Dadaism, for example, its chaos and absurdity was a direct reaction to war. But the lessons we can take from these movements go beyond history. They show us how art can shape the world and influence how people think.
Art can be anything. At its heart, it’s a way for humans to respond to both the world and themselves. Early twentieth-century art movements show the many ways art, society, and individuals interact, constantly influencing each other and pushing society forward.
When we think of Dadaism and Surrealism, randomness, absurdity, dreams, and the subconscious come to mind. Back then, these works were totally new and broke all the rules. But they changed what art could be. A piece wasn’t just about what it was made of or how it looked—it could also be about its context and the ideas people attached to it. Dadaism and Surrealism helped lay the groundwork for conceptual art, opening the door for more creative thinking.
Then came the Bauhaus style, which encouraged people to innovate and reminded us that art isn’t just about looking good. It’s also about function and how it fits into everyday life. Expressionism, meanwhile, gave artists a way to express their feelings after the war, focusing on personal experience and emotion rather than the outside world.
Society throws challenges and gifts at us, and we respond with creativity. That’s how art keeps evolving and how we keep evolving with it.