|
The De Stijl movement (1917-1931), also known as Neo-Plasticism, began in the Netherlands. It embraced abstract, pared-down visual elements such as geometric forms and primary colors. A reaction against the decorative excesses of Art Deco, the reduced quality of De Stijl art was envisioned by its creators as a universal visual language appropriate to the modern era of a new spiritual world order. In 1917, Theo van Doesburg founded the contemporary art journal De Stijl as a means of recruiting like-minded artists in the formation of a new artistic collective. This collective embraced an expansive notion of art, infused by utopian ideals of spiritual harmony. The journal, which was created by many Dutch artists and architects, provided the basis of the De Stijl movement. De Stijl, which simply means "the style" in Dutch, emerged largely in response to the horrors of World War I and the wish to remake society in its aftermath. Viewing art as a means of social and spiritual redemption, the members of De Stijl embraced a utopian vision of art and its transformative potential.
|
There were various artists and architects that were a part of the De Stijl movement. They designed and created art that followed the basic geometric theme of the movement.
|
The common theme in many of the artwork during the De Stijl Movement encompassed basic geometric shapes and primary colors. This gallery of De Stijl art is accompanied by individual analysis.
|
I'm fascinated by the De Stijl movement's geometric yet simplistic artwork. The uncomplicated designs seem to reveal the harmony and simplicity of life itself. The movement is so important because it arose as a direct response to the horrors of WWI, which left the world feeling shaky and unstable. Theo Van Doesburg of the De Stijl movement said, "We speak of concrete and not abstract painting because nothing is more concrete, more real than a line, a color, a surface." Therefore, I find the movement so fascinating, because it allowed these artists to feel like the world around them made sense, especially during such a brutal time in history. For them, art could be confined to simple colors, lines, and patterns.
|