For Immediate Release November 2001 the MUSEUM of MODERN

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For Immediate Release

November 2001

THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART PRESENTS ITS

FIRST EXHIBITION ORGANIZED EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE WEB

Artists of Brücke: Themes in German Expressionist Prints at www.moma.org/brucke Beginning October 29, 2001

NEW YORK, November 2001

–The Museum of Modern Art presents its first exhibition organized exclusively for the Web, Artists of Brücke: Themes in German Expressionist Prints, located on the Museum's Web site, www.moma.org/brucke. Although past gallery exhibitions at MoMA have had online components, this is the first exhibition that was conceived specifically for online presentation. The site provides users with a flexible and personalized approach to viewing art and explores the limitless possibilities and questions inherent in presenting art online. Artists of Brücke: Themes in German Expressionist Prints was conceived and written by Wendy Weitman, Associate Curator, Department of Prints and Illustrated Books, and designed for the Web by Second Story Interactive Studio of Portland, Oregon. Maggie Lederer-D’Errico, Senior Producer, Online Services, The Museum of Modern Art, served as Project Manager. The site will remain online indefinitely to be used as an educational and research tool.

The brusque graphic style and saturated colors of German Expressionist prints––created from the early part of the twentieth century until the fall of the Weimar Republic in 1933— make them particularly well-suited to online presentation. Designed in opposition to the established taste and prominence of Impressionist renderings of external appearances, the Expressionist movement sought to reveal the inner core, spiritual foundation, and emotional verve of the human condition. Among its original voices were a group of young architectural students in Dresden who called themselves Brücke (bridge). They joined forces in 1905 to reinvigorate art with freedom, authenticity, and expressive force.

The site presents approximately 110 works by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Erich Heckel, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, Emil Nolde, Max Pechstein, and Otto Mueller, artists whose artistic freedom manifested itself in distorted lines, exaggerated forms, orgiastic color, and flattened perspective. Works are presented in some 50 comparative groupings organized around themes such as cabaret, Christian motifs, exotic influences, portraits, and nudes. Music by Arnold Schoenberg and narrated statements from the artists open each theme.

To organize an exhibition such as Artists of Brücke: Themes in German Expressionist

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Prints for the Web, a curator examines hundreds of works to uncover the most prominent themes and the most compelling works to illustrate a story, as with a gallery exhibition. However, the digital format encourages a new kind of focus and fluidity in presenting art works. Moma.org/brucke permits the curator to direct a user’s attention, highlighting similarities and contrasts by isolating several objects on one screen. The site also offers users the opportunity to explore their own paths through the exhibition, delving deeper into certain themes or artists at will, or sorting the works by different criteria, such as medium. It contains links to resources, including an interactive map and a printable chronology, bibliography, and list of works.

"The Museum’s Web site reaches a vast audience," says Ms. Weitman. "We hope that a portion of that audience will visit moma.org/brucke and be intrigued by this spectacular moment in the history of modern printmaking. The Web is an extraordinary tool and we have only begun to explore its potential to educate the public about prints."

To complement this endeavor, at the end of November four kiosks with access to moma.org/brucke will be installed on the second floor of the Museum along with a small selection of prints.

This Web site is made possible through the generosity of Agnes Gund and Daniel Shapiro with additional contributions from Linda and Bill Goldstein, Leslie and Johanna Garfield, David S. Orentreich, M.D., Albert and Irene Sax, and the Associates and Young Print Collectors of the Department of Prints and Illustrated Books.

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