Expressionist & Symbolism

At one point or another every one has seen a picture, a reference, or even the real thing. "The Scream" by Edvard Munch, is one of the most recognisable works of art in the world. Everyone seems to look at it and with out thought (this can be debatable) automatically relate to it. As should everyone in this day and age. Everyone has at one point or another felt like this. The feeling that the world is melting around you, the anxiety has overtaken you, and all you can do is stop and scream. I admit it, I have done just this more than once. It saddens me to say, most of our days have become this way, but without the relief of a scream. We in he twenty-first century hold it all in till we explode or deflate. Also in the work there is a strong sense of loneliness (signified by the people in the the background walking away and are unaffected by their surroundings) which is another part of our modern day society, politically, as Americans are isolationists by nature, but it also reflects in our culture. Most people are now always on their cellphones, isolated in their big cars trying to get from point A to B quickly and without looking at the scenery or the world they live in. "The Scream" is a reflection of the struggle to cope with the inner pain, but also now in the 21st century it has become a symbol of our isolation from each other.