At the Pushkin Museum Pushkin opens prepared jointly with the Museum of Brücke (Berlin), group exhibition «bridge» - artistic associations, which gave rise to the Expressionism - a movement, not only opened new visual possibilities, but the whole attitude to which will soon primknuli poets, writers and composers.

Brücke Museum was founded in 1964 in Berlin, and owns the largest collection of early works - paintings, watercolors and drawings, printed graphics German artists: Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Erich Hekkelya, Karl Schmidt-Rotlufa and Max Pehshteyna. The date of founding the Museum «Bryukke» is considered to be 1 December, 1964 - Day 80 th anniversary of Karl Schmidt-Rotlufa, when the artist announced the donation of the land of Berlin and seventy-four paintings and then - all of its artistic heritage and archives. Karl Schmidt-Rotluf proposed future museum building to house the collections, the project at the museum were on display not only the product of the donor, but also the work of other artists of the group «bridge». «This is actually part of the story: all the artists" Bridge "worked and lived in the capital Berlin on them, no doubt influenced by», - based its decision Schmidt-Rotluf.

Many «mostovtsy» responded to the idea of creating a museum group «bridge» and donated to the Museum of their own works, as well as other actors pooling. Based on the gifts of Karl Schmidt-Rotlufa and Erich Hekkelya, the museum collection is not confined only to the submissions. At the temporary storage of steel to do the most important paintings of artists «Bridge», and from other private collections. Schmidt-Rotluf Museum has continued to recruit through the work of their colleagues from the group of «bridge» With the death of Schmidt-Rotlufa August 10, 1976, according to his testament, the artistic legacy of the Foundation of Charles and Emmy-Rotluf Schmidt was transferred to the Museum of Brücke.

Panel «bridge» was founded in Dresden in 1905 by four students, architects: Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Fritz Bleylem, Erich Hekkelem and Karl Schmidt-Rotlufom. The name of an idea Schmidt-Rotluf: «We could call myself a" bridge "because it is multifaceted concept, not implying any program, and yet, in a sense, leading from one bank to another». As the artist later recalled, «one of the aspirations" Bridge "was to attract all revolutionary and dissident elements, as is said, and the name itself -« Bridge », which connects all the dramatic arts in Germany, beginning of XX century.

In 1906 «Bridge» unveiled its program, which was carved by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, a wooden board, as well as distributed in the form of proclamation. The content was just two sentences: «On the belief in progress and a new generation of inspired artists and lovers, we appeal to all young. And as young people embody the future, want to have a free hand and to gain freedom, is still thriving despite the old forces. We appreciate everyone who is directly and without falsehood will express the fact that it encourages creativity ». These words certainly sound a call for art, not associated style framework.

Shortly after the founding group of artists «bridge» to increase the number of its participants. In January 1906, in the Dresden Gallery exhibition of works by Arnold was Emil Nolde. His colorful paintings free met a keen interest on the part of participants, and Nolde was invited to work «Most». In the same year, the union entered and Max Pehshteyn. Hekkel met the artist in the spring was held in Dresden from 12 May to 31 October «Third German Exhibition of Art Crafts», for which Pehshteyn decorated interiors. At the same time, the group of «bridge» primknul and the Swiss painter Kuno Ame. His works have been seen by artists «Bridge» in exhibition at the gallery Arnold. Kuno Ame became strongly committed to the Dresden group, facilitated a series of exhibitions in Switzerland, attracted to it many «inactive» members. Later, the list of participants joined the Dutchman Van Dongen CES, which in 1908 in Paris, met Pehshteyn, Finn Axel Gallen-Kallela and Dutchman Lambertus Zayl. Otto Muller came to «bridge» at the end of 1910 and was closely connected with the team before self. «First meeting with the paintings of Otto Mueller was held in Berlin at an exhibition of artists rejected" the Berlin Secession. " For each of us, it was a great and fruitful time, and soon it became clear that this time it belongs to the association "Bridge" », - wrote Erich Hekkel of the first meeting with Otto Muller at the beginning of 1910.

In 1907 the association «bridge» managed to regain his place in the halls of the leading galleries of Dresden. It should be noted the exhibit in the Art Salon Richter in 1907, and attracted the attention of the exposure in the Arnold Gallery in 1910, now deemed one of the program of art exhibitions of the XX century. Panel «bridge» organized traveling exhibitions throughout Germany, Switzerland, Scandinavia. Until 1910 it was opened more than 30 exhibits only its own, apart from the participation of numerous groups in the German collective exhibitions. Its peak of popularity association reached at the Cologne exhibition «Zonderbunda» in 1912. A crucial role in the history of «Bridge» played its part in the exhibition «New Secession» (Berlin), led by Max Pehshteyna.

The original position of the group «bridge» is to complete rejection of all rules of classical art, in «vnetraditsionnosti», once it is made Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. The new aesthetic ideas generated expressive means of expression, based on the subjective perception of shape, color and content of the picture. Open to declare the thesis of the dramatic relationship of internal and external peace man. Art and life were to unite in sensual harmony, acquired the meaning of human existence and completeness only in the creative process. The quest for primary, intuition and unbridled artistic imagination manifests itself in early scenes «Most». Painting became a faith for artists, art, and life seen as equal. Particular inspiration master «Bridge» annual summer visits to nature. Work at the open air was a good complement to the work in the workshop and contributed to the development of expressionist painting.

In the first years of the Dresden «Bridge» crucial woodcut. It is in the woodcut, where the artist is forced to formulate the essence of artistic goals, the most evident characteristics of expressionism «Bridge», the first innovation, the most important formal findings radicality of composite solutions. Thanks woodcut artists «Bridge» German printed schedule has experienced a new flowering, similar to that observed at the beginning of XVI century. Often masterpieces printed team graphics «bridge» for the quality and image effects pose one of the woodcutting Shongauera Martin, Albrecht Durer and other masters of the German Renaissance. All works were printed artists «Bridge» own, specially for that purpose purchased printed press. «Mostovtsy» tried to create original graphics: each page had to be unique and unlike any other. In a color woodcut and etching «Bridge», there are many isolated instances, the individual runs while often there are only a few impressions.

the autumn of 1911 the leaders of the group «bridge» Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Karl Schmidt-Rotluf and Erich Hekkel moved to Berlin - The metropolis of art, a marked influence on the artistic evolution «Most». The abundance of new experiences and rich cultural life of the capital led «mostovtsev» to realize that their Dresden spontaneous and colorful painting was only a transitional phase. It was in Berlin, it is time to actively implement the mission expressionist «Most». Berlin style marked by heightened accuracy and informative art solutions, the growing interest in public life. In the new works have affected both zacharovannost the lives of a large city and a sharp rejection of it, the gap between the inner world of artists and reality, the study boundaries of art, the extreme expression of artistic devices.

criterion, and the hallmark of the Berlin «Bridge» becomes the psychological saturation of images, angular, pointed shape, which is seen particularly justified in the images of nameless, rejected the society of people in etching, lithography, woodcut, as well as in the paintings and drawings of time. Febrile, nervous strokes and lines, artists define and materialize figures, like cutting them out of wood with sharp parallel movements cutter. In these images felt aggression, contempt and sympathy at the same time.

In the policy document - «Chronicle of the" bridge "», written by Kirchner in 1913, highlights the complete autonomy of the creative artists group searches «bridge» and should be a statement about the modern role of the: «" Bridge "<.. .> continues to maintain his individual character. Internal cohesion, it is still enriching their new achievements of modern art process in Germany. Being free from the influence of today's trends - cubism, futurism, and others, he continues to fight for human culture, which is the basis of genuine art. In this his aspirations, and is today the role of "bridge" in the art of living ».

The exhibition runs from September 6 to November 2, 2008, the building of the Pushkin Museum to them. Alexander Pushkin at Volkhonka, 12.

Source: a press release to them the Pushkin Museum. Alexander Pushkin, artinvestment.ru