Panik (around 1923)

Karl Wiener’s striking painting "Panik," created around 1923, delves deep into the theme of collective human emotion. The artwork captures a vivid scene of chaos and intense emotion, depicted through a crowd of figures engulfed in a tumultuous environment.At the forefront of the painting, the scene erupts from the edges of a rocky cliff. The figures are rendered in an array of deep blues, vibrant greens, and fiery reds, their forms distorted and almost ghostly in their fluidity, conveying a sense of urgency and frantic motion. Above them, the sky rolls in deep, unsettling shades of red interspersed with swirling smoky forms in purple and blue, enhancing the overall feeling of alarm and confusion.The composition's dynamic movement and the use of contrasting colors emphasize the painting’s title, "Panik." Wiener utilizes color to manipulate the mood, drawing the viewer into the heart of a frenzied, desperate escape from unseen threats or dangers. Every brushstroke works to express a raw and palpable tension that is almost palpable."Panik" is a powerful example of how art can be used to explore and represent complex psychological states. With this painting, Wiener not only creates a visually arresting scene but also invites reflection on the nature of human reactions to fear and the instinct for survival.