Art movements don’t necessarily announce themselves when they appear but grow organically on the underlying cultural matrix of the era. Towards the end of the 19th century in Europe and North America, when the industrial revolution was full speed ahead with ruthless mechanical assembly-line effectiveness and efficiency, a new vision of art gained notoriety. As a reaction against, or perhaps a natural outcome of the monotonous mechanized industrial world, the Art Nouveau art movement appeared with its emphasis on beautiful-sinuous-organic signatures in the design of everyday things.
GESAMTKUNSTWERK!
I love the German language, and its capacity to capture the different dimensions of a concept in a single word. Translated to English, the word means “Total work of art.” Which as I understand it, represents the ideal of the Art Nouveau period, expressed in the merging of organic forms with the functional mechanics of daily life.
I came across this entrance to the metro in downtown Montreal. I was immediately captivated by the elaborate curves and floral motifs reminiscent of the Art Nouveau style. This fluid sensuous art may seem quaint nowadays, but at the time, between the late 1800s and early 1900s, imbuing a modern functional object with the geometrical and aesthetic qualities of organic nature was an act of rebellion against the sameness and rigidity of the industrial age.
Beauty
Harmony
Sensuality
Fluidity
Elegance
Craftsmanship
These are terms associated with the visual language of Art Nouveau, which was an attempt at expressing nature’s aesthetic cohesiveness through visual design. The total union of art, design, and everyday life into a singular experiential whole. This radical notion of reality as art would influence the development of other artistic periods that appeared in later years. The movement rose and spread quickly across Europe and North America, then just as quickly, it subsided with its visual echoes still resonating after all these years.
Looking at the station, surrounded by trees and glass towers, I stood transfixed. In awe. I felt transported to another era when sensual beauty and delight reigned unapologetically supreme.
I hope you enjoyed this meandering stroll along art’s memory lane.
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