Inside Art: The Rise of Modernism

Third and Fourth Wednesdays
September 19–June 26
1:00 p.m.
Fullerton Hall

The year 2013 marks the 100th anniversary of the Armory Show at the Art Institute, a traveling exhibition that not only introduced the American public to modern art and artists such as Picasso and Matisse but also inspired a generation of American artists to embrace the new European styles. In celebration of this influential event, this year’s lecture series, Inside Art: The Rise of Modernism, focuses on early 20th-century modern art in both Europe and America. The lectures first explore the various traditions in which modern art is rooted—dating back to the ancient world—and then move on to survey modern movements. Discussions of particular European movements, such as Cubism, Futurism, or Dada, will be followed the next week by talks on the corresponding movement in America. The series also includes a special lecture in April on the Armory Show itself.

September 19    The Realist Tradition

September 26    The Expressive Tradition   

October 17        The Abstract Tradition

October 24        The Decorative Tradition

November 28    Art at the Turn of the Century: Europe and America

January 16        Cubism in Europe

January 23        Cubism in America

February 20      Offshoots of Cubism in Europe

February 27      Offshoots of Cubism in America

March 20         Fauvism and Expressionism in Europe

March 27         Expressionism and Abstraction in America

April 17           The Armory Show

April 24           Art between the Wars in Europe and America

May 15            Dada and Surrealism in Europe

May 22            Dada, Surrealism, and Magic Realism in America

June 19           Modern Sculpture in Europe

June 26           Modern Sculpture in America