Geometric Abstraction

Assignments

Week 1:

De Stijl, Neo-plasticism, and Elementarism

Assignment: Reduce an object to De Stijl principles

1. Pick an organic object (the human body, plants, nature, food etc..)

2. Simplify your object down to the basic elements of De-Stijl

   • Primary colors and non-colors (black, white, and grey)

   • Basic geometric forms

   • Horizontals, verticals and diagonals

3. I would suggest making multiple drafts - start with a sketch and keep simplifying/editing your composition until you arrive at something you really like

   • You can be as rigid as Mondrian -strictly horizontals and verticals - or more flexible with your approach 

     • You can even develop your own “logic” to approach it with, for example 70% straight lines and 30% curved….etc

   • If you are having difficulty starting: use tracing paper and put it over an image of your object, start tracing the basic forms you see and go from there

4. Once you’ve settled on a composition, paint it on canvas (16x20 or 18x24)

5. Look below to see some examples of work

Week 2:

Suprematism - Malevich and El Lissitzky

Assignment(s): Rearrange a suprematist composition and make it your own

1. Pick from one of the following collections:

   • The Last Futurist Exhibition of Painting .10 (Zero Ten)

     • Focus on the Malevich paintings in this collection

   • Chagall, Lissitzky, Malevich: The Russian Avant-Garde in Vitebsk, 1918-1922

     • You can find audio many of the pieces if you scroll to the bottom of the page on the above link, or if you click here

   • El Lissitzky's Victory Over the Sun Collection

     • You can also look at his PROUN pieces - although you’ll have to search online because they are spread throughout museum collections

2. Focus in on one particular painting from your collection, and rearrange it’s elements to create your own composition

   • Borrow from the paintings shapes and use those to build a composition 

     • Move the shapes around, play with their scale or perspective

   • Study the colors of your painting

     • Use the colors as a loose reference - switch them around or exchange them between shapes

Week 3:

Constructivism - Tatlin, Rodchenko, Popova and El Lissitzky

Assignment: Work in 2D and 3D this week

1. Construct simple shapes with cardboard or bristol board paper (look below for inspiration)

2. Arrange them into three-dimensional compositions 

3. Create a painting based off of them

Week 4:

Bauhaus - Gropius, Curriculum, Furniture Design, Graphic Design, and Theatre

Assignment(s): Respond to Bauhaus Art

You can respond to either Marcel Breuer or Theatre work from the Bauhaus

1. Marcel Breuer:

   • MoMA - Marcel Breuer

   • The Art Story - Marcel Breuer

   • SmartHistory on Bauhaus and Marcel Breuer

   • Look below for select images of Breuer

2. Bauhaus Films/Theatre

   • Video: Das Triadische Ballet (Triadic Ballet)

   • Video: Das Mechanische Ballett (Mechanical Ballet)

   • Reading: Bauhaus Body Spirit Theatre

   • Reading: Body and Spirit Overview

   • For more readings about Bauhaus theatre, look in your Resource Links tab under Bauhaus Theatre