Modernism is a cultural movement that developed between the last decade of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th. The best known artistic manifestation of this movement is literature, especially in the Hispanic world. It was the Nicaraguan writer Ruben Darío who started this literary trend and his book of poems Azul is considered the first expression of modernism.
Modernism went beyond literature and more specifically poetry. It also had other forms of expression: architecture, decoration, painting, etc.
It must be borne in mind that at the end of the nineteenth century there is a global crisis, as there was awareness of a change of time and the creators looked for new ways in its expression. The reality is disappointing and the need arises to travel renewed paths.
The main characteristic of modernism is its own sense of beauty. You have to flee (that is why we speak of escapism) from the vulgar and invent a beautiful world. An imaginative and very creative aesthetic spirit arises, where the role of nature has a great presence. The decorative elements, both in the words and in the buildings or furniture, have ornate and refined forms. It is a lush and fantasy world.
The ornament is an essential element. A simple staircase can have movement through its curves and materials. The functional can also be beautiful and the imagination is the instrument that combines the two tendencies.
In modernism there is a permanent yearning for refinement. The human being must reinvent art and it has to be guided from the most absolute freedom.
The modernist style avoids following rules and submitting to a conventional model. The classic is boring and out of date. You have to bet on the new, the modern.
From World War I, modernism weakened and returned to a more traditional and classic style. However, the originality of this artistic trend continues to be admired. And the buildings of the architect Gaudí are a good example. Scholars from all over the world and tourists from all latitudes visit the city of Barcelona taking a tour of the legacy of modernism.
When modernism broke in more than 100 years ago, it was considered exotic and initially the public identified it with the gentry. Over time, its creative component was appreciated. Interestingly, modernism is currently considered a classical movement. And it is that everything is transformed.
