The artisms

Die Kunstismen (1925) is the title of a book by Hans Arp and El Lissitzky in which avant-garde trendsin the visual arts from around 1914 to 1924 are defined and illustrated.

Art movements that mostly end with -ism are defined (not without irony) by the artists themselves and illustrated with photographs of their works. After the artists in the table of contents follow “the isms” as if they were persons themselves. The definitions are given in German, French and English and not all of them have the names of the authors. In addition, parallel currents in film and architecture are mentioned. - A quote from Kasimir Severinovich Malevich precedes this : "The present is the time of analysis, the result of all systems that have ever come into being."

Definitions

Abstractivism

The Abstract Art designed the "non-objective" without the artists were "bound together by a common problem." In addition to Wassily Kandinsky , Natan Issajewitsch Altman , Lyubow Sergejewna Popowa and also László Moholy-Nagy are assigned to her .

Dadaism

The Dada "has to nonsense out the affirmation and denial" (Hans Arp). In addition to Arp, examples by Francis Picabia or Max Ernst are shown.

expressionism

The Expressionism is a "meatloaf" of Cubism and Futurism. Marc Chagall or Paul Klee serve as illustrations for him.

futurism

The Futurism has "demolished the peace and static and in motion, Dynamic shown" ( Umberto Boccioni ). Gino Severini or Luigi Russolo can be found under the picture examples.

Compressionism

The compressionism remains undefined, but is illustrated with room designs by Oskar Schlemmer and Willi Baumeister .

constructivism

The Constructivism sees "the world through the prism of the art". For him, works of art by Vladimir Evgrafowitsch Tatlin or Naum Gabo are listed.

cubism

The Cubism was not "art of imitation" ( Guillaume Apollinaire ) and dedicate themselves "simple, abstracted forms," the (Roger Allard). Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque provide the first examples.

Neoplasticism

The Neo "wins by the horizontal-vertical division of the rectangle, the rest" ( Mondrian ). Even Theo van Doesburg is listed as a representative.

purism

The purism evokes “clear physiological sensations in the viewer” ( Amédée Ozenfant and Le Corbusier ).

Simultanism

In simultanism, "the simultaneity of colors [...] is the only reality for building up the image" ( Robert Delaunay ). A picture by Sonia Delaunay-Terk is added.

Suprematism

The Suprematism (also called Proun called) "pressed all the painting in a black square on a white canvas together" (Malevich). In addition to Malevich, Olga Vladimirovna Rosanova serves as an example.

Verism

The realism holds his contemporaries "a mirror to the grimace" ( George Grosz ). Even Otto Dix is attributed to him.

literature

• Hans Arp, El Lissitzky (ed.): Die Kunstismen , Erlenbach-Zürich, Munich, Leipzig: Rentsch 1925. Reprint Baden: Müller 1990. ISBN 3906700283