Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider) was a  network of artists who wanted to express their ideas. In 1912, they published the groundbreaking Almanac, edited by Kandinsky and Marc, setting the stage for two public exhibitions in 1911 and 1912. 

The exhibition at Tate Modern begins with the core couple, Kandinsky and Münter, and their creative network in pre-First World War Munich. Experience the artistic hub of Munich, where different cultures converged, through stunning portraits and self-portraits, including Marianne Werefkin's Self-Portrait c. 1910 and Münter’s Listening (Portrait of Jawlensky) 1909. Dive into urban experiences with Werefkin’s collaboration with free-style performer Alexander Sacharoff, as reflected in a provocative 1909 portrait.

Contrast Munich's urban center with the rural beauty of Murnau, where Münter and Kandinsky found inspiration. This small sub-Alpine Bavarian town became a space for creative exchange and experimentation, leading to a new search for spirituality and interest in folk art. Explore expressive painterly compositions like Improvisation Deluge 1913 and Portrait of Marianne Werefkin 1909, showcasing radical approaches to abstract and figurative painting.

Step into experiential environments focused on single works that capture modernism's fascination with sound, colour, and light. Explore Kandinsky's Impression III (Concert) 1911, revealing his interest in synaesthesia, and unlock the mysteries of Franz Marc’s Deer in the Snow II, 1911, through an exploration of colour theory and optics.

The exhibition shows  the lasting legacy of the Blue Rider artists through manifestos, editorials, curated exhibitions, and relationships with museums and galleries, they left an indelible mark on the art world.

Witness Münter’s solo show at Berlin’s Der Sturm, Klee's Swamp Legend 1919, and the international publication of Kandinsky’s text "On the Spiritual in Art."

Even though  the movement  dispersed due to the First World War in 1914, their ideas and aspirations for a transnational creative community continue to resonate powerfully today.