The picture by Paul Klee entitled Dance You Monster to My Soft Song!, 1922, New York, was captivating to me. The style, mixed with the grandiose title, then layer the meaning and story Klee intended, it is most certainly not cartoonish – which was my first impression. The subject is an enchanted monster from the Medusa tribe, who has mentally conquered the master. He is dancing, but not for the reasons one thinks. The muted colors, distinct lines, show a stability that is coherent – yet the title of the piece, and the face of the monster shows the anxiety of choosing to go against what you know you should do, or think you should do. Facing anxiety is scary, but the outcome can be great, as is shown with this piece. Klee’s art is simplistic in its form, but strong though the artists intent, which I love. Klee’s art was forward for its time; well defined advent guard.
http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/collections/collection-online/artwork/2139
My next choice for the early 20th Century, with the theme of Age of Anxiety, was the sculpture Bird in Space, by Constantin Brancusi, created in Paris in 1923. It is an intriguing interpretation of a bird – a theme of Brancusi’s during this time was a bird in flight. He has taken this idea, remove the wings completely, reduced the head and beak to an angle, and made the body sleeker – all delicately balanced on a stand. This piece was made of marble, yet Brancusi created this piece several more times, sometimes in bronze with limestone and wood pedestal.
My interpretation of Brancusi’s preoccupation with bird in flight was his subconscious anxiety of where we are in space. As humans in society, we mold ourselves into the area we exist, sometimes to the extent that we are unrecognizable. This being said, these changes can make us into something we never thought we could be – good or bad. The base of the sculpture is a reminder that keeping the balance in these decisions keeps us alive, as well as always aware of what space we are in. This sculpture is a reminder to me, to be aware of who we are in the space we occupy.
http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/486757
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_in_Space
http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/sculpture-brancusis-bird-in-space.html
Listening to A Survivor from Warsaw performance chills me to the bone…the way the band plays such unexpected notes, the timbre of vocalist, internalizing the words of his story – and the music echoing the emotion!! It is so powerful and dramatic, and sad – that this piece, A Survivor from Warsaw, is an account of an actual experience. The ending to this performance was so riveting, I had borderline heart-palpitations with anxiety of what was going to happen next – the music was so moving. I can’t say I exactly enjoyed it, but it was an experience I won’t soon forget! Musical history was created in this piece, written by Arnold Schoenberg in 1947 in Los Angeles; and I am glad that I have experienced this hallowing tale.
http://library.thinkquest.org/27110/noframes/composers/schoenberg.html
Jodella Wheat 
Brancusi’s sculpture was very unexpected and very interesting. I do however enjoy that it is such a change of pace and you were able to tie it into the age of anxiety and space progression. I agree with you on A Survivor from Warsaw, it is a very moving piece on an emotional level. Klee’s picture is my favorite of your three that you posted. I love the style and it fits the best with the theme of anxiety. The resemblence is noticable on first glance. If you did not know the history of the Bird in Space would you be able to tell what it was? I know I would have a troublesome time!