Category: Art

“There are no hard distinctions between what is real and what is unreal, nor between what is true and what is false. A thing is not necessarily either true or false; it can be both true and false.”

Minimalism also known as, ABC art, reductivism and rejective art finds its application in various forms of art and design. It boasts a simplicity of style in artwork and design and favors the cool over the theatrical. Artists and designers sort to avoid symbolism and emotional content and rather endeavoured to draw attention to the materiality of the work itself.

The term conceptual design is often used by art and design critics, however, the exact meaning and understanding of this term is often not addressed. Though most of us may have a vague idea of what critics are alluding to, it is worth extending this understanding by taking a closer look at conceptual design.

The Bauhaus was founded in Weimar, Germany in 1919 by architect Walter Gropius (1883-1969). Gropius sought to rethink the material world and aimed for the material to reflect the unity of all the arts: architecture, sculpture and painting. Gropius strove to create a unified style that brought together the three elements of art, design and industry.

Art Deco was one of the most influential decorative styles of the first half of the twentieth century. Despite its popularity during the time between the two World Wars, it was only recognized as a movement in the sixties. Unlike modernist art and design moments, which have philosophies and manifestos, Art Deco was purely decorative.

Modernism began at the end of the 19th century and developed during the first half of the 20th century. Modernism can be said to go beyond the confines of a 'style'. It is better described as a collection of ideas or a worldview. Modernism had a utopian desire to create a better world.

Nevertheless, there are still traits that characterize modern design, such as: an exploration of new materials, a simplification of forms and a rejection of historical precedents. The term modern comes from the Latin word modernus, which means “just now”. It also means “new fashioned, not antiquated or obsolete.”

Art Nouveau or 'New Art' became popular from about 1980 to the First World War. It was a forward-looking style of art and design that developed in reaction to 19^th century designs that were dominated by historicism and neoclassicism. It sought to position art and design within everyday life and as such saw artistic value in all objects no matter how prosaic they may be. In short it was believed that art and design should become a part of the everyday. It also involved the close study of natural forms and through this study that the new aesthetic was born. The most successful examples of Art Nouveau can be said to be those works that see a successful and provocative meager between the decorative and the functional.