World Wars Influenced Art

March 23rd's lecture covered Art Deco Moderne. The style expressed the desires of the modern era and geometric designs. Streamlining and zigzag designs were featured in this style. During this time people had a lot of faith in the machine era; the 1920's and 1930's. Probably the greatest illustrator of the 20th century was A.M. Cassandre who revitalized advertising using Surrealist Metaphor. His designs were bold and dramatized 2-D and used iconic symbols. He mastered scale shifts effectively.

After the World Wars advertising posters for other countries featured foreigns styles created by a different country. For example, a United States created poster featured European styles to promote that particular country. Ludwig Hohlwien revolutionized Victory Metaphors by promoting the Olympic Games during Nazi Germany. His work corresponded with Hitlers concept of virtuous propaganda. Around the same time Montgomery Flag branded Uncle Sam as an American Symbol. Another influence on Art Deco Moderne was Herbert Matter who created pictorial symbols by using silhouetted photographs, used uncommon angles, Incorporated micro and macro styles and used overprinting and transparencies.

I never realized how influenced people were by art during the World Wars until I saw it in class. I always wondered how people believed Hitler and were influenced into believing in what their country stood for until I viewed the posters that revolutionized the wars. They seemed sincere and patriotic. Obviously what one believes is majorly determined by what one has always been brought up to believe give or take a few very persuasive characters.

The Bauhaus & New Typography

The Bauhaus supported a type of modernism style of design. Their purpose was "to solve design problems created by industrialization." The Bauhaus wanted the modern look by using mass production. This modern style was calculated by the use of type and image. Photoplastics were invented by a Bauhaus Master, Moholy Nagy. These photoplastics created a surrealism style of design. Using the camera as a tool, Nagy created a new visual language for photography. He also applied the componets of the Bauhaus design legacy. During this time many designers escaped to America to avoid the Nazi persecution.

Then the style of design changed Jan Tschichold was the best spokesman to describe the new style as New Typography. This style introduced more white space, elementary typefaces without elaberation, symmetrical organization, and dynamic forces for everyday design. After a while Tschichold realizes the limitations of the modern style of New Typography and declairs that the old traditions provide more freedom to thought and expression. However several artists still made an impact to this movement such as Paul Shoetema, Hendrick Werkman, and Piet Zwart.

I've never been one to favor the modern design. I find it hard to interpret. Maybe that's because of my upbringing, I've always been used to the playful colorful, traditional decorative designs. Even though I found them not my style I still bought my friend square dinner plates for her wedding gift. She explained that they wanted something different. In a world were modern design is becoming more favored being 'different' is not so hard. The only challenge is designing something modern differently.

Russian Graphic Design

Russian graphic art seemed to take the country by storm. Their influence not only persuaded other graphic designers but the Russian society as well. One movement that came about was the Suprematism, designers who used only pure form and color. It was an abstract visual language that was understood. The Constuctiveness Movement only lasted 5 years but the impact caused designers to oppose the old orders and rules of graphic design. For the first time photos have a power illustrations couldn't ever convey and photographic persuassion was at its all time high both socially and politically. Tectonics, texture and construction were the primary elements of design at the time. Alexander Rodchenko, a master of tectonics, contributed majorly to the design world. He created the unisex "communist suit" and used mainly photographs when designing and modern packaging. Photographs were primarily used for personal expression. Photomontaging had several techniques that were followed: simutaneous action, superimposing images, extreme close-ups and perspective, and rhythmic repetition. Photomontaging was not only theactical but cienematic. However, no one could compare to El Lissitzky who was a visionary at heart. He developed the painting style called Prouns, a synthesis of architectural concepts. One of the major most commonlly seen aspects of Russian graphic design was the 'utopian eye'; where common men and women shared a vision as equals.