Ernst started painting at fairly young age and continued to do so even in throughout high school college, but it wasn't until after he dropped out of college and during the collapse of the German government (around 1918/19) that he started to seriously delve into creating his own art professionally. During this post-war time, he discovered activism towards the government collapse and how different expressionist groups were contributing to it.
It just so happens that Ernst participated in two of these groups, the Gesellschaft der künste (Society of Arts) and the collaborators on a short-lived magazine entitled Der Ventilator (The Fan). In one basic respect, you could say that the purpose of these groups as Die Rheinischen Expressionisten, was namely the conviction that art was an agent for the betterment of society. What made these groups so distinctive was their radical politicization and aggressive approach/participation in public affairs.
The artists that were associated with these two organizations included Johannes Theodor Baargeld, Otto Freudlich, Franz Seiwert, Heinrich and Angelika Hoerle, Anton Räderscheidt, Johannes Theodor Kühlemann, and Hans Hansen.
Some of them had once before belonged to the Gereon club, and were know to Ernst before the war. Most of the people in those organizations had served in the war and had become involved with anti-war activities. They were often more inclined than Ernst was to place their art at the service of social and revolutionary goals. For about a year Ernst was to associated with these other artists in the Gesellschaft der Künste, and organization founded in November 1918 by Karl Nierendorf.
This society also included a smaller group called Der Strom (The River), with a magazine by the same name which was printed by Nierendorf's publishing house, Kairos Verlag. The public announcement of the Gesellschaft der Künst in Cologne newspapers reflects a new-age-coming fervor that was common immediately after the war - and not altogether alien to the lofty spiritual ideals characteristic of Expressionist circles before the war. Here is and excerpt from that proclamation:
"We stand at the beginning. All ideas about the spirituality of our common world have been proven false. All leaders of this spirituality have proven to be impostors.... We have had enough speeches and promises ... We want action... Youth is rising up,...."
(disclaimer: I personally do not necessarily fully agree with or condone the statements of this excerpt, from the public announcement for the Gesellschaft der Künste)
This proclamation also announced the smaller independent association Der Strom, and its magazine.
At the same time Max Ernst was establishing a reputation for himself in activities of Gesellschaft der Künste, he was stretching his luck with collaboration on Der Ventilator.
Although Der Ventilator has also been described as a proto-Dadaist venture, there is little - if anything at all- about it that qualifies as Dadaist, and Ernst's part in the publication is not easily assessed.
The artists that were associated with these two organizations included Johannes Theodor Baargeld, Otto Freudlich, Franz Seiwert, Heinrich and Angelika Hoerle, Anton Räderscheidt, Johannes Theodor Kühlemann, and Hans Hansen.
Some of them had once before belonged to the Gereon club, and were know to Ernst before the war. Most of the people in those organizations had served in the war and had become involved with anti-war activities. They were often more inclined than Ernst was to place their art at the service of social and revolutionary goals. For about a year Ernst was to associated with these other artists in the Gesellschaft der Künste, and organization founded in November 1918 by Karl Nierendorf.
This society also included a smaller group called Der Strom (The River), with a magazine by the same name which was printed by Nierendorf's publishing house, Kairos Verlag. The public announcement of the Gesellschaft der Künst in Cologne newspapers reflects a new-age-coming fervor that was common immediately after the war - and not altogether alien to the lofty spiritual ideals characteristic of Expressionist circles before the war. Here is and excerpt from that proclamation:
"We stand at the beginning. All ideas about the spirituality of our common world have been proven false. All leaders of this spirituality have proven to be impostors.... We have had enough speeches and promises ... We want action... Youth is rising up,...."
(disclaimer: I personally do not necessarily fully agree with or condone the statements of this excerpt, from the public announcement for the Gesellschaft der Künste)
This proclamation also announced the smaller independent association Der Strom, and its magazine.
At the same time Max Ernst was establishing a reputation for himself in activities of Gesellschaft der Künste, he was stretching his luck with collaboration on Der Ventilator.
Although Der Ventilator has also been described as a proto-Dadaist venture, there is little - if anything at all- about it that qualifies as Dadaist, and Ernst's part in the publication is not easily assessed.
**Camfield, William A.
Max Ernst: Dada and the Dawn of Surrealism. Verlag, Munich, Houston: Prestel, the Menil Collection, 1993 (page 47-49)
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