Here are some possibilities depending on your interpretation:
Specific Inspirations:
* The Armory Show (1913): This exhibition introduced American audiences to European modern art, including works by Picasso, Matisse, and Duchamp. It had a profound impact on American artists and writers, inspiring a new wave of experimentation and innovation.
* The Greenwich Village bohemian scene: This vibrant artistic community attracted writers, poets, musicians, and artists who challenged traditional norms and explored new ideas. Writers like Gertrude Stein and Ezra Pound were part of this scene, and their work helped shape American modernism.
* The rise of mass media: The growth of newspapers, magazines, and popular culture created new opportunities for writers to reach a wider audience and engage with contemporary issues. This influence can be seen in the work of writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway.
Broader Cultural Forces:
* The First World War: The war's horrors and disillusionment deeply impacted American writers, leading to a rejection of romanticism and a search for new ways to express the complexities of modern life.
* Urbanization and industrialization: The rapid growth of cities and the rise of industrialization created a sense of alienation and fragmentation, themes explored by many modernist writers.
* The rise of psychology and psychoanalysis: New theories about the human mind, especially those of Freud and Jung, influenced writers to explore the inner lives of their characters and delve into the subconscious.
To get a more specific answer, you need to clarify your question. Do you want to know about a specific artistic movement, a particular person, or a broader cultural phenomenon that inspired American modernist writers in New York?