1914-1925

CUBISM

(1907-1915)

Cubism was invented around 1907 in Paris by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. It was the first abstract style of modern art. Cubist paintings ignore the traditions of perspective drawing and show you many views of a subject at one time. The Cubists believed that the traditions of Western art had become exhausted and to revitalize their work, they drew on the expressive energy of art from other cultures, particularly African art.

FUTURISM

(1909-1914)

Futurism was a revolutionary Italian movement that celebrated modernity. The Futurist vision was outlined in a series of manifestos that attacked the long tradition of Italian art in favor of a new avant-garde. They glorified industrialization, technology, and transport along with the speed, noise and energy of urban life.

FAUVISM

(1905-1910)

Fauvism was a joyful style of painting that delighted in using outrageously bold colours. It was developed in France at the beginning of the 20th century by Henri Matisse and André Derain.

GERMAN EXPRESSIONISM

(1905-1925)

German Expressionism is a style of art that is charged with an emotional or spiritual vision of the world. The expressive paintings of Vincent Van Gogh and Edvard Munch influenced the German Expressionists. They also drew their inspiration from German Gothic and 'primitive art'.

ABSTRACT ART

(C.1907 ONWARD)

Abstract Art is a generic term that describes two different methods of abstraction: 'semi abstraction' and 'pure abstraction'. The word 'abstract' means to withdraw part of something in order to consider it separately.

SUPREMATISM

(C.1915-1925)

Suprematism was developed in 1915 by the Russian artist Kazimir Malevich. It was a geometric style of abstract painting derived from elements of Cubism and Futurism. Malevich rejected any use of representational images, believing that the non-representational forms of pure abstraction had a greater spiritual power and an ability to open the mind to ‘the supremacy of pure feeling’.

CONSTRUCTIVISM

(C.1913-1930)

Constructivism used the same geometric language as Suprematism but abandoned its mystical vision in favor of their 'Socialism of vision' - a Utopian glimpse of a mechanized modernity according to the ideals of the October Revolution.

DE STIJL

(C.1917-1931)

De Stijl was a Dutch 'style' of pure abstraction developed by Piet Mondrian, Theo Van Doesburg and Bart van der Leck.