To begin this exhibition, El Lissitzky's 1920 Beat The Whites with the Red Wedge, was created after the Bolsheviks started the Russian Revolution of 1917. Before the war, Russian society faced numerous conflicts with an economic crisis and a famine period after World War I. As life began to progress, society began to fall as military rebellion, workers’ strikes, and social unrest were shown. Lissitzky created propagandistic art to show the support and power of the Red Army during this time. He created a red triangle (the revolutionary Red Army) that precisely cuts in a white circle, representing the (anti-Communist White Army). The simple yet influential shapes reveal the frustrated sensations Lissitzky was trying to convey, which helped show the conflicts between the two sides and that the Red triangle triumphs over the white circle to prove dominance during this time. 

Continuing forward, George Grosz, Dedication to Oskar Panizza. 1917-18. Creates an imaginary portrait of the outside of his window to describe his emotions of disgust and anguish regarding German society after the results of World War I. By creating a vicious and busy scene of the rebellion of the war, he uses artistic styles of diagonal lines and shapes to represent the chaos and darker colored tones to express the violence that occurred. Overall, metaphorically creating a "dance of death" he creates this portrait to reveal his frustration that Germany and all of Europe withstand during that time of history. 

The last piece of this exhibit covers Marsden Hartley, Portrait of a German Officer. 1914 with oil on canvas. This monumental painting is the centerpiece that evokes the dangers of life in Berlin during World War I. Hartley creates an abstract portrait to depict the Prussian lieutenant, Karl von Freyburg, who died during the war. He uses certain shapes and symbols to reveal the personal characteristics of Lieutenant Freyburg. Including K.v.F in the bottom left corner shows his regiment number and centered at the top of the portrait an Iron Cross that he received after his death. Hartley uses Vibrant yet subtle colors to express his sorrow and grief towards the Lieutenants' death but uses vibrant traumatic colors of red, blue, and yellow to represent the strength and courage he had in his last moments. Hartley created this portrait to remind others of his impact and legacy that carries on. He used these artistic styles to show Cubism and German Expressionism during this time. 

These 3 crafted portraits help us understand the emotions conveyed during these scarring and memorable times of history.