Theo Van Doesburg's Manifesto Of Art Concret

Modernism developed during the early twentieth century; it was the beginning of a rising stylist change. Old styles were rejected with new forms of art leading to a continuous revolution. Artists, designers and architects around Europe began believing that industrial mass production and technological growth would guide them into the new century. Persisting with these innovative components, transformed the way artists, designers and general society to think, experience and express in a new way; affecting different forms of design including architecture, art, literature and music. This fresh perspective marked ‘an interest in exploring new materials, a rejection of historical precedents, and a simplification of forms by reduction of ornament.’
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Founder and leader of the Dutch movement, De Stijl, Theo Van Doesburg adopted the style of combining rectangular forms and vibrant primary colours. Within this, there would be essences of grey, black and white areas. Like many artists of this era, Van Doesburg was influenced with geometric forms; he was also very fond of the idea about purity and simplicity that he detailed it in his Manifesto of Art Concret.

With the sudden appearance of artist movements, Modernism was indefinitely known to bring innovative change to the world. As this new trend of change began, artists and designers believed that the ‘urge to establish the current generation as being different and free from its predecessors’ was going to be their main aim in order to lead Modernism forward. (Eysteinsson and Liska, 2007 p.233) During that era, society issues hugely influenced designs, more commonly inspired by politics and economical factors. They thought that designs that provoked these matters gave the foundation of what the ‘social experience of living in the modern world’ was really like. (Meecham and Sheldon, 2005
Using abstract imagery to represent their new style was an extremely difficult and challenging concept; ‘Abstract art had to fight to defend itself against a reactionary world’ seeing as this new form was completely opposite to the previous norm, which was very figurative. (Hammacher, 1964 p.5) However, soon after this controversy, abstract art began to be accepted. ‘Abstraction, the single most important characteristic of the art of this century’ was used and noticed by all designers; it was now that ‘Abstract art was appearing everywhere’. (Barron and Tuchman, 1980 p.12) (Hammacher, 1964 p.5) There was another visual aspect that was just as popular; this was the use of geometric forms. Often designs combined horizontal and vertical lines, shapes (circles, squares, rectangles and triangles) and the orientation was generally simplistic. This too, was a fresh concept as shapes were being used to create and promote messages, as well as enhancing a more bold striking