Lecture 2/24/10

• De Stijl:

  • Sought universal laws that Govern visible reality but are hidden

  • same goals as Malevich and the Suprematists

  • Sought to purify art by banning naturalistic representation, external values and subjective expression

• Mondrian: defined horizontal/verticals as the two fundamental opposites shaping our world

  • Everyday objects would be elevated to a higher level of art

• Theo van Doesburg:

  • Applied de Stijl principles to architecture, sculpture and typography

• Visual forms developed from Mondrian’s paintings

  • pure form and assymetrical tension

• Mondrian: defined horizontal/verticals as the two fundamental

• opposites shaping our world

• Everyday objects would be elevated to the level of high art

• Art through careful application of the principals.

• Theo Van Doesburg:

  • Curves eliminated

  • Square module

  • Color is structural element

  • Favored red

• Kurt Schwitters and EL Lissitzky

• De Stijl architectural theory:

  • asymmetrical equilibrium

• Gerrit Rietveld:

  • Architectural and graphic forms in asymmetrical equilibrium

• Schroeder House

  planes in space, high tech industrial radiators

• J.J.P. Oud:

  • structure and signage identification as an asymmetrical facade

• Bauhaus: To solve design problems created by industrialization

  • Bauhaus establishes design as a discipline taught and practiced using modernism’s’ form and functionality.

• In Weimar 1919-1924: Intensely visionary period - possibility for a universal design that integrated aspects of society.

• Moholy Nagy

Piet Mondrian has always been one of my favorite artists. I love the way he simplified his paintings to a few colors and lines yet the philosophical theories behind his art are very complex. I watched a documentary on him and the way that he was so meticulous in his process was impressive. His paintings have this seemingly effortless elegance to them that people forget how difficult it is to produce something that is so precise yet simple-looking.

As a photo minor, Moholy Nagy has also been one of my favorites for a long time. I love his “photoplastics” because it has influenced my work a lot in the past. His work always works with symmetry and transparencies using classic darkroom techniques which I have done in the past and tried to emulate. He is just interesting to me because he has always been a constant experimenter and took classic techniques in photography to create something that was completely innovative.

Lecture 2/17/10

• Russian Suprematism,
• Constructivism and De Stijl
• Kasimir Malevich
• Cubo-Futurism
• Alexander Rodchenko-photomontage
• Salomon Tellingater
• Montage as the “fabrication” of a prototype for printing– not a unique work of art
• Rodchenko and Soviet Propaganda and Commerce
• EL Lissitzky
• Veshech-modeled after "Merz" magazine
• Prouns Space-merges 2 and 3d design in one space and becomes later exhibition design
• "Beat the Whites With the Red Wedge"
• "The Tale of Two Squares"
• "For the Voice"
• "The Isms of Art"
• "Design For Press"
• poster-icon of the 20th century graphic design
• The Steinberg Brothers
• Revolution completes the establishment of a "professional identity" for modern graphic design

I really enjoyed this lecture. I have always loved Russian Constructivism. I think that even though their art was used mainly for propaganda and to influence people, I think that he way they managed to do this was really interesting and beautiful. All of the posters are so visually powerful. It is also very interesting to see the way in which they used the new medium of photography and film as almost a substitute for illustration (which William Morris relied so much on). it personally great for me to study this movement because I love to create collages/photomontages and it has always been an influence in my work today...from their techniques to their somewhat stark color palettes. I also love the was they constantly used an axis in their work and their use of space.

Lecture 2/10/10

plakastil

sachplakate

Picasso- the relationship between form and communication

WWI posters

Ludwig Hohlwien

Ferdinand de Saussure- Structuralism

Futurism

Manretti

Dada Movement

Duchamp

Kurt Schwitters

Andre Breton

I have always loved the Dada Movement. I like the fact that it does not make sense and tried to almost destory everything that artists have tried to build since the italian Renaissance. I think that it was always going to be a "short-lived" art movement because art cannot be made just for the shock value. But it was revolutionary in the sense that it defied everything that the burgouise class thought was important. The only thing that I don not like about the Dada movement (and that I did not know until tonight) was the fact that they denied Kurt Schwitters from entering their movement. He obviously would have been a valuable asset to them.