Post on 29-Nov-2014
Examples
Piet Mondrian, Square Composition with Red, Yellow, and Blue, 1921-1925
Bart van der Leck, Composition, 1918-1920
Theo van Doesburg, Color Construction: Project for a Private House, 1923
The Basics
The Netherlands, 1917 - 1931
France & Germany, then spread to Poland, Italy, Great Britain, U.S.
Neoplasticism - aesthetic philosophy
Spread via periodic publication titled De Stijl, begun by Theo van Doesburg
Based on an ideology of universality
World Timeline
1914-1918, World War I - Mostly Europe
1905-1920, Expressionism - Germany
1915-1919, Suprematism - Russia
1919-1934, Constructivism - Russia
Common goal of post-war artists - to work through the arts to achieve an ideal future, when all the walls that separate men would be broken down and when society would be truly integrated and capable of constructing a utopian urban environment of abstract forms.
The Netherlands During WWI
Neutral, although continuous pressure from both sides to join
1917 – universal male suffrage, proportional representation
Long history of trade interdependence
Depression early 1920’s – 1925 due to dependence on Germany
De Stijl - reaction to chaos and destruction of War
Ideology
Theosophist virtues of Mondrian as platform
Sought to set the stage for a new social order
Pure and good design came from pure abstraction of the visual - primary colors and straight lines
Hoped that the modern urban environment would one day be transformed into an abstract, aesthetically balanced composition refelcting the new social era they envisioned
Insisted on an uncompromisingly severe stylistic purity - considered their principles to be morally justifiable as agents of social reform
As a Movement
“De Stijl” chosen for allusion to a single stylistic credo to which they would all subscribe
Cohesive only in the sense that those involved shared a common set of ethical and aesthetic principles at one time or another between 1917 and 1932
Came to the same standard seperately, continued with varied interests
Characteristically “De Stijl” from collaborative efforts
Piet Mondrian-Before Dutch, born 1872
First painted still lifes and landscape
1911 - emphasis on composition, full simple rhythms, 2-3 colors
Interest in Theosophy - synthesizes science, religion and philosophy in pursuit of ultimate truth
Used abstract visual language to represent universal harmony
Analytic cubist, replacing real froms with geometric visualized theosophyic concepts
Eventually moved to full abstraction
Piet Mondrian, Apple Tree in Bloom, 1912
Piet Mondrian, Windmill in the Sun, 1908
Piet Mondrian, The Red Tree, 1908
Piet Mondrian, Composition #6, 1914
Piet Mondrian of De Stijl
The source of philosophy and visual form
Neoplasticism - primary colors, right angles, straight lines on white background
Stuck to the rules
Believed true reality was established through balance of unequal but equivalent oppositions
Continued in the same style after the end of the movement
Piet Mondrian, Composition III with Colored Planes, 1917
Piet Mondrian, Composition with lines, 1917
Piet Mondrian, Composition, 1922 Piet Mondrian, Composition with two lines, 1931
Piet Mondrian, New York City I, 1942 Piet Mondrian, Broadway Boogie-Woogie, 1942-43
After the Movement
The ReviewCovered all areas – architecture, painting, sculpture, environmental planning, etc.
Incorporated influences of artist all over – did not have the same aesthetic limits as neoplasticism
1st issue – Oct 1917, after meeting with Mondrian, Bart van der Leck, Vilmos Huszar, Georges Vantongerloo, Jan Wils, Antony Kok, Robert van’t Hoff, Johannes Pieter Oud, later Gerrit Rietveld.
Many believed foundation of movement to be Mondrian’s “De Nieuwe Beelding in de Schiderkunst” (New Plastics in Painting)
Theo van Doesburg, cover for De Stijl, 1923
Manifesto included in intro
1. There is an old and a new consiousness of the age. THe old one is directed towards the individual. THe new one is directed towards the universal. The struffle of the individual against the universal may be seen both in the world war and in modern art.
2. The war is destroying the old world with its content: individual predominacne in every field.
3. The new art has brought to light that which is contained in the new consiousness of the age: a relationship of equality between teh univeral and the individual.
6. Therefore the founders of the new culture call upon all who believe in reform of art and culture to destroy these obstacles to development, jsut as in teh plastic arts - by doing away with natural form- they ahve eliminated that which stood in the way of pure artistic expression, the logical conclusion of every artistic concept.
Theo van Doesburg
Founder and guiding spirit of movement and magazine
Born Christian Emil Kupper 1883, adopted painter name from stepfather
Capabilites revealed in publishing activities
Traveled through Europe, interacting with many artists
Involvement in other movements, like Dada
Transfer of principles to 3D environment
Elementarism - dynamic tension via the diagonal
Theo van Doesburg, Simultaneous Counter-Composition, 1929
Theo van Doesburg, Composition IV, 1917, stained glass
Theo van Doesburg, Countercomposition V, 1924
Theo van Doesburg, Arithmetical Composition, 1930
Theo van Doesburg, Color Design for Amsterdam Universtity Hall, 1923
Theo van Doesburg, Cinema-Dance Hall, Cafe Aubette, Strasbourg, 1926-28
Bart van der Leck
Left movement after first issue of De Stijl, disagreed with van Doesburg’s theoretical positions
Van der Leck, Composition 1917-4 known as Leaving the Factory, 1917
Van der Leck, Batavier Line Poster, 1916
Van der Leck, Mine Triptych, 1916
J.J.P. Oud
Architect, one of the founders
Municipal housing architect for Rotterdam 1918 to 1933
Socially progressive residential projects
J.J.P. Oud, Elevation of the Cafe De Unie, 1925 J.J.P. Oud, Project for a Factory in Purmerend, 1919
J.J.P. Oud, Small, semi-permanent house in Rotterdam, 1923
J.J.P. Oud, Workers Housing Development Hoek van Holland, 1924
Vilmos Huszar
Vilmos Huszar, Color Applications, Bedroom of Bruynzeel House, Voorburg, 1918-19
Vilmos Huszar, Spatial Color Composition in Gray, Brugman House, THe Hague, 1924
Architect
Completely abstract by 1917
Like Doesburg, wanted to transfer color and structure practice to architecture
Problem of the corner- used color to compositionally unite surfaces- to create an uninterrupted visual experience dictated by color rather than architecture
Vilmos Huszar and Gerrit Rietveld, Spatial Composition for an Exhibition, Berlin, 1923
Gerrit Rietveld
Trained as a cabinet maker and jeweler
1919 - joined De Stijl and became an architect
Best realized the ideas of De Stijl
Complete abstraction of a chair - reduced to its fundamental structure
Schroder House - sliding walls on top floor
Gerrit Rietveld, Red and Blue Chair, 1917
Gerrit Rietveld, Schroder House, Utrecht, 1924
Differences
Mondrian and Doesburg - use of diagonal, against neoplasticism - importance of affecting spatial realm
Real image reference vs. total abstraction
Involvement in other movements
Theo van Doesburg and Kurt Schwitters, “Kleine Dada Soiree” poster, 1922
Relations with other movements
Dada - Manifestation of a desire to join art and life
Expressionism - viewed abstract designs as proposals for the future
Constructivism - new form of utopian architecture - projects for the affirmations of the new
Lasting Impression
Huge influence on modern architecture
Asymmetry
Strict use of the grid in graphic design
Ultimate basic representation to initiate mental image -logo design
Examples Today