30 THE EMOTIVE OBJECT
THE ARTWORK ELICITS AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE
The work of art can itself become an emotive force. When the artist seeks to create a powerful emotional reaction in the viewer, the enterprise is referred to as “expressionist.” A variety of approaches and techniques can be used and combined to achieve this.
• Exaggeration or distortion of the form of the subject
The artist might elongate, twist, compress, stretch, or otherwise distort the subject, creating an uneasy relationship to a normal realist representation.
• Use of disturbing subject matter
The artist might depict subjects that incorporate emotionally charged themes, such as violence, alienation, and sexuality.
• Use of heavy and very physical line
A heavy, wide line can ...
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