Chapter 15

Chapter 15 discusses A New Language of Form. Cubism begins to permeate into all areas of Visual Art. But Visual art also moves beyond the restraints of pictorial imagery and into the invention of pure form. The ideas about form and using space from painting to sculpture was quickly applied to the problems of design. Modern design is not a step child of the fine arts. Innovation became very apparent in art and designs and new ideas were presented often. By the end of WWI, graphic designers, architects and products designers began to push the boundaries of form and function within visual art. During this time Russia began to go through an era of political troubles. Due to this cubo-futurism was developed, a mixture of cubism and futurism. This style was a reaction to the values of czarist Russia.

Supermatism was founded by Kasimir Malevich. This was a painting style that included basic forms, pure color, and nonobjective geometric abstraction.

Art's purpose began to be questioned as spiritual or social. Constructivism was founded due to this conflict. It is categorized with three words; tectonics, texture and construction. Texture is how materials were used, Tectonics was how communist ideology was used visually, and construction represented the process of visual organization.

In the Netherlands the De Stijl movement began. It was characterized with abstract geometric styles that sought harmony. The works were purely abstract and consisted of dynamic movement and balance.

Interesting fact:

Within the De Stijl style, curved lines were almost completely eliminated and sans serifs began to be much more favored as a typeface.