How did art change in Europe after World War I?

 Art in Europe underwent significant changes after World War I due to the profound impact the war had on society, culture, and individual psyches. The Great War, as it was known, catalyzed shifts in political, social, and philosophical thinking, and as a result, these changes were reflected in the art of the period.

1. Dada Movement: One of the most prominent movements to emerge in the aftermath of WWI was Dada. Originating in Zurich in 1916, it was a reaction to the horrors and folly of the war. Dada artists rejected traditional art forms and conventions, emphasizing nonsense, irrationality, and anti-bourgeois protest. They utilized collage, photomontage, and found objects to create their works, which were often satirical and anarchic.

2. Surrealism: Following Dada, Surrealism emerged in the early 1920s. Led by figures like André Breton, the movement sought to reconcile the contradictions between dreams and reality by unleashing the creative potential of the unconscious mind. Surrealists were heavily influenced by the theories of Sigmund Freud and used various techniques like automatism and dream interpretation to explore the psyche.

3. New Objectivity (Neue Sachlichkeit): A movement in Germany known as Neue Sachlichkeit, or New Objectivity, arose as a counter-movement to the introspective and abstract tendencies of Expressionism. Artists associated with this movement, such as Otto Dix and George Grosz, depicted the social realities of the Weimar Republic with a sharp, critical eye, often focusing on the corrupting influence of capitalism and the trauma experienced by soldiers during the war.

4. Return to Order: Across Europe, some artists embraced a "Return to Order," which signaled a revival of interest in classicism and traditional techniques. This movement aimed to restore a sense of structure and value to art that many felt had been lost during the war.

5. Abstraction: Abstract art, which had begun developing before the war, continued to gain prominence. Artists like Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian furthered their explorations of color, form, and the spiritual aspects of art, moving away from representational imagery.

6. Futurism & Constructivism: Although both movements began before WWI, they evolved significantly in its aftermath. Futurism in Italy, despite its earlier glorification of war, took a new direction, emphasizing reconstruction and technological progress. Russian Constructivism emerged after the Russian Revolution and was characterized by an emphasis on industrial materials and geometric forms, mirroring the societal focus on construction and the future.

These diverse movements showed that artists were grappling with the disillusionment of the post-war period, seeking either to reflect the changed world as they saw it or to use their art to escape from its grim realities.