El Lissitzky free essay sample

El Lissitzky was born in Russia in 1890. Lissitzky was an inspiration to many using various forms of design. His initial interest in abstract paintings lead him to learn about photography, typography, book design, architecture, and urban planning. He became credible through his studies at Darmstad where he got his diploma in architecture. His interest in architectural studies brought him to Germany where he studied until the outbreak of World War 1, which brought him back to Russia. Lissitzky went on to use that knowledge to teach architecture and graphics as a professor Vitebsk Popular Art School. Through this foundation of knowledge he established for himself, his name became credible, and that knowledge furthered his career in design. The same year he began teaching he completed his first Proun, what he called his series of abstract paintings. Proun was his way of declaring the â€Å"station where one changes from painting to architecture. † In other words they showed abstract geometric shapes incorporating his abstract paintings and architecture into one design. We will write a custom essay sample on El Lissitzky or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This was an important time in his life and career, and through Proun he was able to conduct his versitality and challenge to communicate both forms of art in one. The pieces can be seen as modern abstract imagery, as well as industrial modern architecture- two areas of interest Lissitzky excelled at. Lissitzky was one of the first artists to use abstract art in Russia, which is called Suprematism. This was also an important influence on Constructivism. Lissitzky spent most of his time devoting his life to teaching. As if that wasn’t enough, a year later he became a member of Inkhuk (Institute for Artistic Culture) in Moscow where he designed his book, Pro dva kvadrata. After completion of his book he joined the Constructivist group, which exhibited at a building in Berlin Erste russiche kunstausstellung designed by Lissitzky himself. He then started his collaboration with Ilya Ehrenburg, which he made the cover for Veschch/Gegenstand/Objet, a journal which explores the new world of Russian art and culture, to which Lissitzky was a great representative of. Lissitzky then began his exploration in a new field of design: typography. He worked on a few designs, which included Dlya golosa, a book by Vladimir Mayakovski. He then needed to travel Switzerland for medical treatment. After that he returned to Moscow to teach. Lissitzky stopped painting in the midst of his travels to put a deeper emphasis on his skill in typography and the design and exhibitions he was working on. He created a room of his designs for the two Museums in Germany. He had a huge versatile personality that appealed to many different exhibitions from the Russian Constructivists to Neo-Plasticism to Dada as well as the Bauhaus. With World War 1 going on as a distraction and influence to his work political statements are often the undertone to Lissitzky’s work. His architectural background is often shown through the sharp edges and strict lines with minimal array of color. His paintings often pertain a three-dimensional feeling using two-dimensional imagery. He used lines of all kinds to direct your eyes around the page to where he wants the main focus to be. For Lissitzky the message was often a strong political statement or a message reflecting his Jewish upbringing. Lissitzky started a revolution with the combination of abstract art and architecture. What may have seemed too contradictory ideas, Lissitzky proves they can be brought together to make your message even clearer.