Expressionists: Kandinsky, Münter and the Blue Rider review

A large and wonderful selection of the Lenbachhaus collection in Munich are hanging on the walls of Tate Modern for a new and very educational exhibition, Expressionists: Kandinsky, Münter and the Blue Rider. Ordinary and naturalistic scenes are expressed in extraordinary colours and manners by highly acclaimed artists such as Münter, Kandinsky, Franz Marc, Werefkin, and it is such a beautiful sensation to see these paintings up close, to see the absolute explosion of colours.

Wassily Kandinsky. Cossacks, 1910-11. Tate, presented by Hazel McKinley, 1938.

This cosmopolitan group of artists came together before WWI to form a “union of various countries to serve one purpose - to transform modern art”. And transforming they did. The colours and the boldness in their work was a new form of vibrant art. Women played quite a central role in the Blue Rider group, standing in front of Gabriele Münter and Marianne Werefkin was exciting beyond words, such dramatic paintings; the vivacity of colours are simply breathtaking.

The Blue Rider was a very international group, formed of Russians, French and Germans, with Kandinsky and Franz Marc as the main two names, for some, but one cannot simply accept that, as Münter, Werefkin, Macke, Sacharoff, a few amongst many, also played a major part in the movement. All were artists who had experienced hardship, migration, displacement. All were artists who wanted to experience new approaches to their artistic expressions.

Gabriele Münter. Portrait of Marianne von Werefkin, 1909. Lenbachhaus, Munich. Donation of Gabriele Münter, 1957.

This fascinating group had its roots in 1909 in the ‘New Artists’ Association of Munich’, a group where women were allowed to be a part of, where musicians were a part of, more interestingly, where important artists such as Paul Klee, Robert Delaunay were associated with until the creation of the Blue Rider in 1911.

“The Blue Rider circle’s aesthetic concerns developed in parallel with their belief in their deep spiritual significance of artistic experimentation.” We can easily see this in the forms and colours in their paintings, an experimentation they all were involved in. To think of what this form of art could have gone on to be had it not been for the World War is just heartbreaking.

Franz Marc. Tiger, 1912. Lenbachhaus, Munich. Donation of Bernhard and Elly Koehle.

“We were only a group of friends who shared a common passion for painting as a form of self-expression. Each of us was interested in the work of the other...in the health and happiness of the others.” Gabriele Münter, 1958.

Expressionists: Kandinsky, Münter and the Blue Rider is a truly exceptional, colourful, vivacious, moving and informative exhibition at Tate Modern and it is definitely highly recommended.

Date: 25 April - 20 October 2024; Location: Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG; Price: £22, concessions available. Book now.

Words by Massoumeh Safinia