Irma Stern

Credit phb 🌍 Irma Stern German Expressionism:• Stern’s early influences came from the Brücke group in Berlin, who rejected academic realism in favour of raw emotion, bold colour, and distorted form. She absorbed their intensity but applied it to African and Mediterranean subjects, creating a hybrid style. South African Modernism:• In the 1920s–40s, South Africa’s art world was still dominated by conservative, European‑style landscapes and portraits. Stern’s work was radical in both style and subject matter — she painted African sitters with dignity and individuality at a time when colonial attitudes often reduced them to stereotypes. Global Modernist Networks:• Exhibited in London, Paris, and Berlin alongside other modernists. Her travel journals and paintings brought African imagery into European galleries, influencing perceptions of the continent’s cultures. 🔍 Why Her Work Still Resonates Cultural Bridge: She navigated — and sometimes clashed with — the tensions between European modernism and African identity. Art Market Impact: Stern’s paintings remain among the highest‑selling works by African artists at auction. Contemporary Relevance: Modern curators revisit her work to discuss representation, colonial history, and the role of women.