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.