Bauhaus/Joost Schmidt

Joost Schmidt
Ausstellung Arntz Holzchnitte
1925

YKO Kohlepapier,

Joost Schmidt

1926

























Joost Schmidt
Bauhaus exhibition poster
1923





When I look at the Bauhaus images, I see as a mix representation. Some of the posters are very detailed and others are very reduced. However, there are a few elements that are obvious. Bauhaus uses very geometric shapes and lines. They tend to use directional typography. By directional, I mean vertical, horizontal, upside down and reflected. Though some works are very simple they still guide your eye all over the production. You eyes move, right, left, up, down and sometimes you feel like you are going in circles.
It was this sense of reduction and movement that caught my Eye. The colors are also another important factor to the Bauhaus movement. They focused on elementary elements we all have access to and are associated with. The use of basic and secondary colors brings us back to the beginning when life was simple. But they lead us beyond the simple with the shapes, lines and movement of the they create and modernity.
This movement is so very important still today. I Ikea seems to be a company that produces in the style of the Bauhaus movement. Ikea has brought brought Bauhaus into American homes through mass production. However, sad to say, I am not sure most Americans know where the style influence comes from and how it was started.

Cappiello/Toulouse-Lautrec/Beggarstaff Bros. - Art Nouveau

Aristede Bruand at His Cabared PaintingToulouse-Lautrec









Relskyy's Vodka poster- Cappiello, 1910












Beggarstaff Bros.

Kelley /Griffin/Hamersveld

Alton Kelley & Stanley Mouse

Zig Zag; Big Brother and the Holding Company, Quicksilver Messenger Service; Avalon Ballroom 1966

Griffin, Rick Independance, 1967

"Draw The Idea" Chouinard Poster by John Van Hamersveld
2003.

Crash-Graffiti artist

Crash-John Matos, year and title unknown, Graffiti art

Crash, John Matos, began plastering his art on trains, subways and vacant building at the tender age of 13. His place is society has been very important for graffiti artists in the 70's and 80's. He was one of the pioneers to transcend graffiti art from the streets to the walls of an art gallery, high art!
Art is an amazing concept. Art is any and everywhere, many people are quick to denounce graffiti as art, but it is part of a culture, it is how people tell their story...is that not what art is?
I quickly gravitated to the work above. I am a huge fan of Pop Artist James Rosenquist, and the above work instantly reminded me of Rosenquist's work. Upon comparing them they are both on the same scale and the color and subject are remarkably close. This work is about life and looking deep into ones thoughts and mind. Extremely touching....

Aubrey Beardsly-Art Nouveau

The Black Domino, Aubrey Beardsly, Art Nouveau, 1885-1898

Aubrey Beardsly's work is exquisite, simple, intricate and amazing. This Victorian artist produced many fine works during his very short life. He was inspired by Japanese art and this is very visible in many of his works. The figures often tend to follow a grotesques subject, masculine feminine figures and erotic figures in compromising positions. That was his plan, he wanted to be grotesque!
His Japanese inspired works caught my eye, they appear simple. His use of black and white create intense contrast and arouse emotion. In The Black Domino, you can feel the masked figure gazing out at you as they appear to be in motion. The lack of surroundings and the mask alludes curiosity. Where is this figure, what are they doing and why are they hiding their identity? I love works that keep me yearning for more. If I look at another work will it tell me more of the story? Maybe, maybe not!

Michael C. Place- Helvetica designer

Mystyle , August 2008, Michael C. Place

His place in history is "here and now." He is the forefront of designers today. His work is simple, yet diverse and the mesh of the two creates a bold fascinating feeling, visually and internally.
His circles project a sense of unity, a type of worldly unity that permeates transcontinental.
His work leaves me speechless, inspired and driven to create. What an amazing feeling I am with.

Under Agha's direction, Vanity Fair introduced the first double-page spread in 1930















1930, Mehemed Fehmy Agha, Art Deco

This is not his work but under his direction. He was able to go full circle from working with Vanity Fair in Berlin to working with Vanity Fair in America.. He brought art to the world in ways that no one had ever imagined, double spread pages in full color...in 1930!!!! When you think back to works created in the 50's we imagine spreads nowhere near this caliber, yet here it is before your eyes, double spread and in full color. He brought culture and art to our fingertips, we can touch and feel the pages and delivered it to our door. Today we have lost all sight of tasteful and well produced magazines, they are still out there but you must look beyond the grocery store shelves....