El Lissitzky
El Lissitzky in a 1924 self-portrait
Born	November 23, 1890 Pochinok
Died	December 30, 1941 Moscow
Occupation	Artist

Lazar Markovich Lissitzky (help· info) (Лазарь Маркович Лисицкий, November 23, 1890 – December 30, 1941), better known as El Lissitzky (Эль Лисицкий), was a Russian artist, designer, photographer, teacher, typographer, and architect. He was one of the most important figures of the Russian avant garde, helping develop suprematism with his friend and mentor, Kazimir Malevich, and designed numerous exhibition displays and propaganda works for the former Soviet Union. His work greatly influenced the Bauhaus, Constructivist, and De Stijl movements and experimented with production techniques and stylistic devices that would go on to dominate 20th century graphic design. Image File history File links A self portrait by Russian avant-garde artist El Lissitzky, 1914 Source http://www. ... Self Portrait is a 1970 double album by Bob Dylan. ... For other uses, see Pochinok. ... Image File history File links Ru-El_Lissitzky. ... is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar). ... is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... The definition of an artist is wide-ranging and covers a broad spectrum of activities to do with creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. ... Designer is a broad term for a person who designs any of a variety of things. ... A photographer at the Calgary Folk Music Festival Paparazzi at the Tribeca Film Festival A photographer is a person who takes a photograph using a camera. ... For university teachers, see professor. ... A typographer (from the Greek words typos = form and grapho = write) practices typography (the art and technique of selecting and arranging type styles, point sizes, line lengths, line leading, character spacing, and word spacing for typeset applications). ... For other uses, see Architect (disambiguation). ... Beat the white with the Red wedge, a 1919 lithograph by Lissitzky The Russian avant garde is an umbrella term used to define the large, influential wave of modernist art that flourished in Russia from approximately 1890 to 1930 - although some place its beginning as early as 1850 and its... This term is not to be confused with supremacism. ... Kazimir Severinovich Malevich (Russian: , Polish: , Ukrainian Казимір Северинович Малевич, German: ), (February 23, 1878 – May 15, 1935) was a painter and art theoretician, pioneer of geometric abstract art and one of the most important members of the Russian avant-garde. ... Art exhibitions are traditionally the space in which art objects (in the most general sense) meet an audience. ... For other uses, see Propaganda (disambiguation). ... For the British gothic rock band, see Bauhaus (band). ... Tatlin Tower. ... De Stijl redirects here. ... Graphics are often utilitarian and anonymous,[1] as these pictographs from the US National Park Service illustrate. ...

Lissitzky's entire career was laced with the belief that the artist could be an agent for change, later summarized with his edict, "das zielbewußte Schaffen" (The goal-oriented creation).^[1] A Jew, he began his career illustrating Yiddish children's books in an effort to promote Jewish culture in Russia, a country that was undergoing massive change at the time and had just repealed its anti-semitic laws. Starting at the age of 15, he began teaching; a duty he would stay with for the vast majority of his life. Over the years, he taught in a variety of positions, schools, and artistic mediums, spreading and exchanging ideas at a rapid pace. He took this ethic with him when he worked with Malevich in heading the suprematist art group UNOVIS, when he developed a variant suprematist series of his own, Proun, and further still in 1921, when he took up a job as the Russian cultural ambassador in Weimar Germany, working with and influencing important figures of the Bauhaus and De Stijl movements during his stay. In his remaining years he brought significant innovation and change to the fields of typography, exhibition design, photomontage, and book design, producing critically respected works and winning international acclaim for his exhibition design. This continued until his deathbed, where in 1941 he produced one of his last known works — a Soviet propaganda poster rallying the people to construct more tanks for the fight against Nazi Germany. Yiddish (ייִדיש, Jiddisch) is a Germanic language spoken by about four million Jews throughout the world. ... Childrens books redirects here. ... The Eternal Jew: 1937 German poster. ... An art group refers to an association of artists who may work (or live) communally, for the purpose of facilitating the creation of art, either that belonging to the individual, or the collective. ... A photo of UNOVIS members, with Malevich in the center UNOVIS (also known as MOLPOSNOVIS and POSNOVIS) was the name of a short-lived but influential group of Russian artists, founded and led by Kazimir Malevich at the Vitebsk Art School in 1919. ...   (Лазарь Маркович Лисицкий, November 23, 1890 – December 30, 1941), better known as El Lissitzky (Эль Лисицкий), was a Russian artist, designer, photographer, teacher, typographer, and architect. ... Anthem Das Lied der Deutschen Germany during the Weimar period, with the Free State of Prussia (in blue) as the largest state Capital Berlin Language(s) German Government Republic President  - 1918-1925 Friedrich Ebert  - 1925-1933 Paul von Hindenburg Chancellor  - 1919 Philipp Scheidemann(first)  - 1933 Kurt von Schleicher (last) Legislature... A specimen of roman typefaces by William Caslon Typography is the art and techniques of type design, modifying type glyphs, and arranging type. ... An imaginary world composed of photorealistic inanimate, human, and plant objects spurs a psychological impact upon the viewer. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ...

Early years

The last page from Had gadya (One goat) by Lissitzky, 1919.

Lissitzky was born on November 23, 1890 in Pochinok, a small Jewish community 50 km southeast of Smolensk, former Russian Empire. During his childhood, he lived and studied in the city of Vitebsk, now part of Belarus, and later spent 10 years in Smolensk living with his grandparents and attending the Smolensk Grammar School. Always expressing an interest and talent in drawing, he started to receive instruction at the age of 13 from Jehuda Pen, a local Jewish artist, and by the time he was 15 began teaching students himself. In 1909, he applied to an art academy in Petersburg, but was rejected. While he passed the entrance exam and was qualified, the law under the Tsarist regime only allowed a limited number of Jewish students to attend Russian schools and universities. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (494x601, 112 KB)An illustration by Russian avant garde artist El Lissitzky in the book Jewish childrens book,Had gadya (One goat). ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (494x601, 112 KB)An illustration by Russian avant garde artist El Lissitzky in the book Jewish childrens book,Had gadya (One goat). ... For other uses, see Pochinok. ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination... “km” redirects here. ... A view of Smolensk in 1912. ... Location of Vitebsk, shown within the Vitebsk Voblast Coordinates: , Country Subdivision Founded 974 Government  - Mayor Population (2004)  - Total 342,381 Time zone EET (UTC+2)  - Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3) Area code(s) +375-15 License plate 2 Website: [2]] Vitebsk, also known as Vitsyebsk (Belarusian: Ві́цебск, IPA: ; Yiddish: װיטעבסק; Polish: Witebsk... For scale drawings or plans, see Plans (drawings). ... Several places in the United States of America have the name Petersburg: Petersburg, Alaska Petersburg, Illinois Petersburg, Indiana Petersburg, Iowa Petersburg, Michigan Petersburg, Nebraska Petersburg, Ohio Petersburg, Virginia Petersburg, West Virginia Slight variations appear in the names of: Petersburgh, New York Saint Petersburg, Russia Saint Petersburg, Florida Petersburg was the... // Radical revolutionary parties During the 1890s, Russias industrial development led to a significant increase in the size of the urban bourgeoisie and the working class, setting the stage for a more dynamic political atmosphere and the development of radical parties. ... A university is an institution of higher education and of research, which grants academic degrees. ...

Cover of Yingl Tzingl Khvat (The Mischievous Boy) by El Lissitzky, c.1918. Hebrew letters and symbols would also feature prominently in his later work, including book designs, lithographs, and Soviet exhibition spaces as both visual symbols and aesthetic forms to aid composition.^[2]

Like many other Jews living in the Russian Empire at the time, Lissitzky went to study in Germany. He left the Russian Empire the same year to study architecture and engineering at a Technische Hochschule in Darmstadt, Germany. During the summer of 1912, Lissitzky, in his own words, "wandered through Europe", spending time in Paris and covering 1200 km on foot in Italy, teaching himself about fine art and sketching architecture and landscapes that interested him.^[3] In the same year, some of his pieces were included for the first time in an exhibit by the St. Petersburg Artists Union; a notable first step for Lissitzky. He remained in Germany until the outbreak of World War I, when he was forced to return home along with many of his countrymen, including other expatriate artists born in the former Russian Empire, such as Wassily Kandinsky and Marc Chagall. He was heavily influenced by Vladimir Tatlin and his discovery of Constructivism. Image File history File links Cover of the Yiddish childrens book Cover of Yingl Tzingl Khvat (The Mischievous Boy) by El Lissitzky c. ... Image File history File links Cover of the Yiddish childrens book Cover of Yingl Tzingl Khvat (The Mischievous Boy) by El Lissitzky c. ... Lithography is a method for printing on a smooth surface, as well as a method of manufacturing semiconductor and MEMS devices. ... This article is about building architecture. ... Engineering is the discipline of acquiring and applying knowledge of design, analysis, and/or construction of works for practical purposes. ... Old main building in the city centre. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... This article is about the capital of France. ... Fine art refers to arts that are concerned with beauty or which appealed to taste (SOED 1991). ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Wassily Kandinsky (Russian: Василий Кандинский, first name pronounced as [vassi:li]) (December 16 [O.S. December 4] 1866 – December 13, 1944) was a Russian painter, printmaker and art theorist. ... Marc Chagall as photographed in 1941 by Carl Van Vechten. ...

After the war, he went to Moscow and attended the Polytechnic Institute of Riga, which had been evacuated to Moscow because of the war. He received an architectural diploma from the school and immediately started assistant work at various architectural firms. During this work, he took an active and passionate interest in Jewish culture which, after the downfall of the openly anti-semitic Tsarist regime, was flourishing and experiencing a renaissance at the time. The new Provisional Government repealed a decree that prohibited the printing of Hebrew letters and that barred Jews from citizenship. Thus Lissitzky soon devoted himself to Jewish art, exhibiting works by local Jewish artists, traveling to Mahilyow to study the traditional architecture and ornaments of old synagogues, and illustrating many Yiddish children's books. These books were Lissitzky's first major foray in book design, a field that he would greatly innovate during his career. The Eternal Jew: 1937 German poster. ... The Russian Provisional Government was formed in Petrograd after the deterioration of the Russian Empire and the abdication of the Tsars. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... Mogilev redirects here. ... A synagogue (from , transliterated synagogÄ“, assembly; beit knesset, house of assembly; or beit tefila, house of prayer, shul; , esnoga) is a Jewish house of worship. ... Yiddish (ייִדיש, Jiddisch) is a Germanic language spoken by about four million Jews throughout the world. ... Childrens books redirects here. ...

His first designs appeared in the 1917 book Sihas hulin: Eyne fun di geshikhten (An Everyday Conversation), where he incorporated Hebrew letters with a distinctly Art nouveau flair. His next book was a visual retelling of the traditional Jewish Passover song Had gadya (One Goat), in which Lissitzky showcased a typographic device that he would often return to in later designs. In the book, Lissitzky integrated letters with images through a system of color coding that matched the color of the characters in the story with the word referring to them. In the designs for the final page (pictured right), Lissitzky depicts the mighty "hand of God" slaying the angel of death, who wears the tsar's crown. This representation links the redemption of the Jews with the victory of the Bolsheviks in the Russian Revolution.^[2] Visual representations of the hand of God would recur in numerous pieces throughout his entire career, most notably with his 1925 photomontage self-portrait The Constructor, which prominently featured the hand. Oh and by the way, don't copy and paste all of this for your coursework - it's plaigarism. Vitebsk Railway Station one of the finest examples of Art Nouveau architecture. ... This article is about the Jewish holiday. ... A specimen of roman typefaces by William Caslon Typography is the art and techniques of type design, modifying type glyphs, and arranging type. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... For other uses, see Bolshevik (disambiguation). ... The Russian Revolution of 1917 was a series of political and social upheavals in Russia, involving first the overthrow of the tsarist autocracy, and then the overthrow of the liberal and moderate-socialist Provisional Government, resulting in the establishment of Soviet power under the control of the Bolshevik party. ... An imaginary world composed of photorealistic inanimate, human, and plant objects spurs a psychological impact upon the viewer. ...

Avant garde

Suprematism

"Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge", a 1919 lithograph by Lissitzky

In 1919, upon receiving an invitation from fellow Jewish artist Marc Chagall, Lissitzky returned to Vitebsk to teach graphic arts, printing, and architecture at the newly formed People's Art School — a school that Chagall created after being appointed Commissioner of Artistic Affairs for Vitebsk in 1918. Chagall also invited other Russian artists, most notably the painter and art theoretician Kazimir Malevich and Lissitzky's former teacher, Jehuda Pen. Malevich would bring with him a wealth of new ideas, most of which both clashed with Chagall and greatly inspired Lissitzky. After going through impressionism, primitivism, and cubism, Malevich started developing and aggressively advocating his ideas on suprematism. In development since 1915, suprematism rejected the imitation of natural shapes and focused more on the creation of distinct, geometric forms. He replaced the classic teaching program with his own and disseminated his suprematist theories and techniques school-wide. Chagall advocated more classical ideals and Lissitzky, still loyal to Chagall, became torn between two opposing artistic paths. Lissitzky ultimately favored Malevich's suprematism and broke away from traditional Jewish art. Chagall left the school shortly thereafter. A 1919 lithograph by Russian avant-garde artist El Lissitzky, Beat the white with the Red wedge This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 50 years. ... A 1919 lithograph by Russian avant-garde artist El Lissitzky, Beat the white with the Red wedge This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 50 years. ... Beat the Whites with the Red wedge, a 1919 lithograph by Lissitzky Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge is a Soviet propaganda poster by artist Eliezer Markovich Lissitzky. ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination... Marc Chagall as photographed in 1941 by Carl Van Vechten. ... Painting by Rembrandt self-portrait Detail from Las Meninas by Diego Velazquez, in which the painter portrayed himself at work For the computer graphics program, see Corel Painter. ... Kazimir Severinovich Malevich (Russian: , Polish: , Ukrainian Казимір Северинович Малевич, German: ), (February 23, 1878 – May 15, 1935) was a painter and art theoretician, pioneer of geometric abstract art and one of the most important members of the Russian avant-garde. ... This article is about the art movement. ... Primitivism is an artistic movement which originated as a reaction to the Enlightenment. ... Pablo Picasso, Le guitariste, 1910 Juan Gris, Portrait of Picasso, 1912, oil on canvas Georges BraqueWoman with a guitar, 1913 Juan Gris, Still Life with Fruit Dish and Mandolin, 1919, oil on canvas Cubist villa in Prague, Czech Republic Cubist House of the Black Madonna, Prague, Czech Republic, 1912 Cubism... This term is not to be confused with supremacism. ... For other uses, see Geometry (disambiguation). ...

At this point Lissitzky subscribed fully to suprematism and, under the guidance of Malevich, helped further develop the movement. Some of his most famous works derive from this era, with perhaps his most famous being the 1919 propaganda poster "Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge" (pictured right). Russia was going through a civil war at the time, which was mainly fought between the "Reds", who were the communists and revolutionaries, and the "Whites" who were the monarchists, conservatives, liberals and socialists who opposed the Bolshevik Revolution. The imagery of the red wedge shattering the white form, simple as it was, communicated a powerful message that left no doubt in the viewers mind of its intention. The piece is often seen as alluding to the similar shapes used on military maps and, along with its political symbolism, was one of Lissitzky's first major steps away from Malevich's non-objective suprematism into a style his own. He stated: Placard redirects here: this should not be confused with Plaque or Plack Poster from the Spanish Revolution A poster is any large piece of printed paper designed to be attached to a wall or vertical surface. ... Beat the Whites with the Red wedge, a 1919 lithograph by Lissitzky Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge is a Soviet propaganda poster by artist Eliezer Markovich Lissitzky. ... Combatants Local Soviet powers led by Russian SFSR and Red Army Chinese mercenaries White Movement Central Powers (1917-1918): Austria-Hungary Ottoman Empire German Empire Allied Intervention: (1918-1922) Japan Czechoslovakia Greece  United States  Canada Serbia Romania UK  France Foreign volunteers: Polish Italian Local nationalist movements, national states, and decentralist... The October Revolution, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was the second phase of the Russian Revolution, the first having been instigated by the events around the February Revolution. ...

The artist constructs a new symbol with his brush. This symbol is not a recognizable form of anything that is already finished, already made, or already existent in the world — it is a symbol of a new world, which is being built upon and which exists by the way of the people.^[4]

Also in 1919, Lissitzky joined and took a prominent role in the short-lived but influential UNOVIS group (Russian abbreviation for "The Champions of the New"), a proto-suprematist association of students, professors, and other artists. Formerly known as MOLPOSNOVIS and POSNOVIS, the group was re-branded as UNOVIS when Malevich became leader. In February of 1920, under the leadership of Malevich, the group worked on a "suprematist ballet", choreographed by Nina Kogan, and the precursor to Aleksander Kruchenykh's influential futurist opera, Victory Over the Sun. Interestingly, Lissitzky and the entire group chose to share credit and responsibility for the works produced within the group, signing most pieces with a single, solitary black square. This was partly a homage to a similar piece by their leader, Malevich, and a symbolic embrace of the Communist ideal. This would become the de facto seal of UNOVIS that took the place of individual names or initials. The group, which disbanded in 1922, would play a pivotal role in the dissemination of suprematist ideology in Russia and abroad as well and launch Lissitzky's status as one of the leading figures in the avant garde. A photo of UNOVIS members, with Malevich in the center UNOVIS (also known as MOLPOSNOVIS and POSNOVIS) was the name of a short-lived but influential group of Russian artists, founded and led by Kazimir Malevich at the Vitebsk Art School in 1919. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Ballet (disambiguation). ... Futurism was a 20th century art movement. ... For other uses, see Opera (disambiguation). ... El Lissitzkys poster for a post-revolutionary production of the opera. ... For a description of the medieval homage ceremony see commendation ceremony Homage is generally used in modern English to mean any public show of respect to someone to whom you feel indebted. ... This article is about communism as a form of society and as a political movement. ... This article is about the authentication means. ...

A Proun by Lissitzky, c.1925. Commenting on Proun in 1921, Lissitzky stated, "We brought the canvas into circles... and while we turn, we raise ourselves into the space."^[2]

Image File history File links A Proun work by Russian suprematist artist, El Lissitzky. ... Image File history File links A Proun work by Russian suprematist artist, El Lissitzky. ...

Proun

During this period Lissitzky proceeded to develop a variant suprematist style of his own, a series of abstract, geometric paintings which he called Proun (pronounced "pro-oon"). Proun was essentially Lissitzky's exploration of the visual language of suprematism with spatial elements, utilizing shifting axes and multiple perspectives; both uncommon ideas in suprematism. Suprematism at the time was conducted almost exclusively in flat, 2D forms and shapes, and Lissitzky, with a taste for architecture and other 3-dimensional concepts, tried to expand suprematism beyond this. His Proun works (known as Prounen), spanned over a half a decade and evolved from straightforward paintings and lithographs into fully 3-dimensional installations. They would also lay the foundation for his later experimentations in architecture and exhibition design. While the paintings were artistic in their own right, their use as a staging ground for his early architectonic ideas was significant. In these works, the basic elements of architecture — volume, mass, color, space and rhythm — were subjected to a fresh formulation in relation to the new suprematist ideals. Kazimir Malevich, Black square 1915 Abstract art is now generally understood to mean art that does not depict objects in the natural world, but instead uses color and form in a non-representational way. ... For other uses , see Painting (disambiguation). ... The word space has many meanings, including: Physics The definition of space in physics is contentious. ... 2-dimensional renderings (ie. ... 2-dimensional renderings (ie. ... Lithography is a method for printing on a smooth surface, as well as a method of manufacturing semiconductor and MEMS devices. ...

Jewish themes and symbols also sometimes made appearances in his Prounen, usually with Lissitzky using Hebrew letters as part of the typography or visual code. For the cover of the 1922 book Arba'ah Teyashim (Four Billy Goats) (cover), he shows an arrangement of Hebrew letters as architectural elements in a dynamic design that mirrors his contemporary Proun typography.^[2] This theme was extended into other works, namely his illustration for the books "Shifs-Karta" (Passenger Ticket) and "Shifs-Karta." The exact meaning of the word Proun was never fully revealed, with some suggesting that it is a contraction of "proekt unovsia" ("Architectural design of UNOVIS"), or "proekt utverzhdenya novoga" ("Design for the confirmation of the new"). It was later defined by Lissitzky ambiguously as "the station where one changes from painting to architecture."^[3] Jewish symbolism is any form or type of symbolism in Judaism; a symbol in this sense is defined as some kind of visible representation of an object or an idea. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Cover of Merz magazine vol 2, No.8, 1924. See also the back cover

Image File history File links Cover of Merz Magazine vol 2, No. ... Image File history File links Cover of Merz Magazine vol 2, No. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ...

Return to Germany

In 1921, roughly concurrent with the demise of UNOVIS, suprematism was beginning to fracture into two ideologically adverse halves, one favoring Utopian, spiritual art and the other favoring a more utilitarian art that serves society. Lissitzky was fully part of neither and left Vitebsk in 1921. He took a job as a cultural representative of Russia and moved to Berlin where he was to establish contacts between Russian and German artists. There he also took up work as a writer and designer for international magazines and journals while helping to promote the avant garde through various gallery shows. He started the very short-lived, but impressive, periodical Veshch-Gerenstand Objekt with Russian-Jewish writer Ilya Ehrenburg. The periodical was intended to show off contemporary Russian art to Western Europe, mainly focusing on new suprematist and constructivist works, and was published in German, French, and Russian languages. In the first issue, Lissitzky wrote: This article is about the capital of Germany. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. ... Ilya Grigoryevich Ehrenburg (Russian: IPA: ), January 27 [O.S. January 15] 1891 (Kiev, Ukraine) – August 31, 1967 (Moscow, Soviet Union) was a Soviet-Jewish Russian writer and journalist whose 1954 novel gave name to the Khrushchev Thaw. ... A current understanding of Western Europe. ...

We consider the triumph of the constructive method to be essential for our present. We find it not only in the new economy and in the development of the industry, but also in the psychology of our contemporaries of art. Veshch will champion constructive art, whose mission is not, after all, to embellish life, but to organize it.^[1]

During his stay he also developed his career as a graphic designer with some historically important works such as the book Dlia Golossa (For the Voice), a collection of poems from Vladimir Mayakovsky, and the book "Die Kunstismen" (The Artisms) together with Jean Arp. There he also met and befriended many other artists, most notably Kurt Schwitters, László Moholy-Nagy, and Theo van Doesburg. Lissitzky, together with Schwitters and van Doesburg, presented the idea of an international artistic movement under the guidelines of Constructivism while also working with Kurt Schwitters on the issue Nasci (Nature) of the periodical Merz (pictured right), and continuing to illustrate children's books. After the publishing of his first Proun series in Moscow in 1921, Schwitters introduced Lissitzky to the Hanover gallery Kestner-Gesellschaft in 1922, where he held his first solo exhibition. The second Proun series, printed in Hanover in 1923, was a success, utilizing new and sophisticated printing techniques. Later on, he met Sophie Kuppers, a widow of an art director of a gallery that Lissitzky was showing at, who he would later marry in 1927. Graphic design is the applied art of arranging image and text to communicate a message. ... Portrait of Vladimir Mayakovsky Vladimir Vladimirovich Mayakovsky (Влади́мир Влади́мирович Маяко́вский) (July 19 [O.S. July 7] 1893 – April 14, 1930) was a Russian poet, among the foremost representatives of early-20th century Futurism. ... Hans (Jean) Arp (September 16, 1886 – June 7, 1966) was a German-French sculptor, painter, and poet. ... Kurt Schwitters (June 20, 1887 - January 8, 1948) was a German painter who was born in Hannover, Germany. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Counter-Composition V (1924) Theo van Doesburg (Utrecht, August 30, 1883 – Davos, March 7, 1931) was a Dutch artist, practicing in painting, writing, poetry and architecture. ... Tatlin Tower. ... Kurt Schwitters (June 20, 1887 - January 8, 1948) was a German painter, who was born in Hanover, Germany. ... For other uses, see Moscow (disambiguation). ... , Hanover(i) (German: , IPA: ), on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen), Germany. ... A solo exhibition (sometimes called a one-man or one-woman exhibition) is, in visual art, photography or the like, a display in a gallery, museum or other venue of the works of only one artist. ...

Later years

Poster for the Russian Exhibition in Zurich, 1929

In 1924 Lissitzky went to Switzerland to receive treatment for his tuberculosis. He kept very busy during his stay, working on advertisements designs for Pelikan Industries (who in turn paid for his treatment), translating articles written by Malevich into German, and experimented heavily in typographic design and photography. In 1925, after the Swiss government denied his request to renew his visa, Lissitzky returned to Moscow and began teaching interior design, metalwork, and architecture at VKhUTEMAS (State Higher Artistic and Technical Workshops), a post he would keep until 1930. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (521x740, 69 KB)Propaganda artwork by Russian avant garde artist El Lissitzky Source http://www. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (521x740, 69 KB)Propaganda artwork by Russian avant garde artist El Lissitzky Source http://www. ... Tuberculosis (abbreviated as TB for tubercle bacillus or Tuberculosis) is a common and deadly infectious disease caused by mycobacteria, mainly Mycobacterium tuberculosis. ... Photography [fәtɑgrәfi:],[foʊtɑgrәfi:] is the process of recording pictures by means of capturing light on a light-sensitive medium, such as a film or electronic sensor. ... It has been suggested that Interior decoration be merged into this article or section. ... Metalworking is the craft and practice of working with metals to create parts or structures. ... VKhUTEMAS (Russian acronym for Higher State Art and Technical Workshops) was the Russian state art and technical school founded in 1920 in Moscow, and dissolved in 1930. ...

While there, he all but stopped his Proun works and became increasingly active in architecture and propaganda designs. In 1926, he and architect Mart Stam designed the Wolkenbügel (Cloud-iron), a unique skyscraper on 3 posts planned for Moscow. Although never built, the building was a vivid contradiction to America's vertical building style, as the building only rose up a relatively modest height then expanded horizontally over an intersection so make better use of space. Its three posts were on three different street corners, canvassing the intersection. An illustration of it appeared on the front cover of Adolf Behne's book, Der Moderne Zweckbau, and articles on it written by Lissitzky appeared in an issue of the Moscow-based architectural review, ASNOVA News (journal of ASNOVA, the Association of New Architects), and in the German art journal Das Kunstblatt. Mart Stam (1899 - 1986) was a Dutch architect, urban planner, and chair designer. ... For other uses, see Skyscraper (disambiguation). ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... Adolf Behne (13 July 1885 - 22 August 1948) was an architect, architectural writer, artistic activist and scientist. ... For other uses, see Moscow (disambiguation). ... Narvskaya collective kitchen, Barutchev, Gilter, Meerzon and Rubanchik, St Petersburg 1932 ASNOVA (Russian: АСНОВА; abbreviation for Ассоциацией новых архитекторов, Association of New Architects) was an Avant-Garde architectural association in the Soviet Union, which was active in the 1920s and early 1930s, commonly called the Rationalists. The association was started in 1923 by Nikolai...

In addition to his work in architecture at the time, he also began designing numerous exhibition displays for the government including the Internationale Kunstausstellung in Dresden, and the Raum Konstruktive Kunst (Room for Constructivist art) and Abstraktes Kabinett in Hanover, along with many Soviet pavilions including one of their pavilions at the 1939 World Fair in New York. One of his most notable exhibits was the Polygraphic Exhibit in Moscow in 1927, which won him a state appointment as head of the team of artists who would design the coming pavilions. His work on the exhibit was radically new, especially juxtaposed to the very classical designs of other participating countries. Art exhibitions are traditionally the space in which art objects (in the most general sense) meet an audience. ... For other uses, see Dresden (disambiguation). ... Trylon, Perisphere and Helicline photo by Sam Gottscho The 1939-40 New York Worlds Fair, located on the current site of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park (also the location of the 1964-1965 New York Worlds Fair), was one of the largest worlds fairs of all time. ...

A photomontage of a building designed, but never built, by Lissitzky, Wolkenbügel (Cloud-iron). Lissitzky wrote about the building as being a proposal for a new, "rational architecture," as opposed to the trend towards massive skyscrapers going on at the time, mostly in the United States. See a 3D rendering of the building here ^{(MPEG-1 - 13.25 M)}

Along with pavilion design, Lissitzky began experimenting with print media again. His work with book and periodical design was perhaps some of his most accomplished and influential. He launched new and radical innovations in typography and photomontage, two fields which he was particularly adept in. He even designed a photomontage birth announcement in 1930 for his recently born son, Jen. The image itself is seen as being another personal endorsement of the Soviet Union, as it superimposed an image of the infant Jen over a factory chimney, linking Jen's future with his country's industrial progress. Around this time, Lissitzky's interest in book design escalated. In his remaining years, some of his most challenging and innovative works in this field would develop. In discussing his vision of the book, he wrote: ImageMetadata File history File links A photomontage of a building, The Wolkenbügel, designed, but not built, by Russian artist El Lissitzky. ... ImageMetadata File history File links A photomontage of a building, The Wolkenbügel, designed, but not built, by Russian artist El Lissitzky. ... For other uses, see Skyscraper (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... MPEG-1 defines a group of Audio and Video (AV) coding and compression standards agreed upon by MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group). ... A specimen of roman typefaces by William Caslon Typography is the art and techniques of type design, modifying type glyphs, and arranging type. ... An imaginary world composed of photorealistic inanimate, human, and plant objects spurs a psychological impact upon the viewer. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ...

In contrast to the old monumental art [the book] itself goes to the people, and does not stand like a cathedral in one place waiting for someone to approach... [The book is the] monument of the future.^[1]

He perceived books as permanent objects that were invested with power. This power was unique in that it could transmit ideas to people of different times, cultures, and interests, and do so in ways other art forms could not. This represented a thread of ambition that laced all of his work, particularly in his later years. Lissitzky was devoted to the idea of creating art with power and purpose; art that could invoke change.

A significant portion of his work during this period was Soviet propaganda. He started working for the propaganda magazine USSR im Bau (USSR in construction), where some of his most wild experiments with book design were produced. Each issue focused on a particular topic important to Stalin at the time — a new dam being built, constitutional reforms, Red Army progress and so on. In 1941 he became ill again with tuberculosis, but still continued to produce works, with one of his last works being a propaganda poster for Russia's efforts in World War II, entitled "Davaite pobolshe tankov!" (Give us more tanks!) He died on December 30, 1941, in Moscow. Iosif (usually anglicized as Joseph) Vissarionovich Stalin (Russian: Иосиф Виссарионович Сталин), original name Ioseb Jughashvili (Georgian: იოსებ ჯუღაშვი&#4314... For other organizations known as the Red Army, see Red Army (disambiguation). ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

Legacy

The Constructor, a self-portrait photomontage, c.1925. The hand present in the image first appeared as the hand of God in 1919 book design done by Lissitzky. The hand re-emerged 6 years later in a redux of his 1924 self-portrait. It also made appearances in his advertisements for Pelikan, and in later Soviet designs.^[2]

Throughout his career, Lissitzky advanced a number of methods, ideas, and movements that had a large and significant impact on contemporary art — particularly in the fields of graphic design, exhibition design, and architecture. Partly because of his constant expansion and experimentation into many different mediums and styles, and his spirit of innovation in them, Lissitzky's work is generally held in high regard by historians and critics. He was one of the principal innovators of modern typography and photomontage, both relatively nascent fields at the time. Image File history File links Source http://www. ... Image File history File links Source http://www. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ...

He was also preoccupied from early to late career with the book design. He thought of the book as a dynamic object, a "unity of acoustics and optics" requiring the viewer's active involvement. When working on USSR im bau he took his experimentation and innovation with book design to an extreme. In issue #2 he included multiple fold-out pages, presented in concert with other folded pages that together produced design combinations and a narrative structure that was completely original at the time. He also invested great effort into establishing international links between artists and promoting new ideas, helping the avant-garde spread across Europe. This started locally with UNOVIS, where he attempted to spread and promote new art primarily in Russia, and reached its peak with his stay in Germany, where he exchanged ideas internationally and helped influence the German Bauhaus and Dutch De Stijl movements. For the British gothic rock band, see Bauhaus (band). ... De Stijl redirects here. ...

Along with his efforts towards the advancement of art, Lissitzky worked tirelessly for ways to better life with art. For that purpose he chose to study architecture in his youth; an artistic medium that directly affects and contributes to society. He was an ardent supporter of the Communist ideology and devoted a great part of his life and energy in its service. Through his Prouns, Utopian models for a new and better world were developed. This approach, in which the artist creates art with socially defined purpose, could aptly be summarized with his edict "das zielbewußte Schaffen" — "the task oriented creation."^[1]

In his later years he brought revolutionary change to exhibition design, garnering him respect internationally as well as prestige within his own country and government. In exhibition and propaganda design, he found an area where he could apply his creative forces in the service of society. In his autobiography written in June 1941 (which was later edited and released by his wife), Lissitzky wrote, "1926. My most important work as an artist begins: the creation of exhibitions."^[3] Cover of the first English edition of 1793 of Benjamin Franklins autobiography. ...

Selected works

Large amounts of his work are on permanent display in galleries worldwide. Much of his collection of Proun works can be viewed in the Van Abbemuseum in the Netherlands, with other abstract works on display in Sprengel Museum in Hannover. His work is also part of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice. Image File history File links Cover of the Yiddish childrens book Cover of Yingl Tzingl Khvat (The Mischievous Boy) by El Lissitzky c. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (494x601, 112 KB)An illustration by Russian avant garde artist El Lissitzky in the book Jewish childrens book,Had gadya (One goat). ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... A 1919 lithograph by Russian avant-garde artist El Lissitzky, Beat the white with the Red wedge This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 50 years. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (521x740, 69 KB)Propaganda artwork by Russian avant garde artist El Lissitzky Source http://www. ... Image File history File links A Proun work by Russian suprematist artist, El Lissitzky. ... Ilya Grigoryevich Ehrenburg (Russian: IPA: ), January 27 [O.S. January 15] 1891 (Kiev, Ukraine) – August 31, 1967 (Moscow, Soviet Union) was a Soviet-Jewish Russian writer and journalist whose 1954 novel gave name to the Khrushchev Thaw. ... Portrait of Vladimir Mayakovsky Vladimir Vladimirovich Mayakovsky (Влади́мир Влади́мирович Маяко́вский) (July 19 [O.S. July 7] 1893 – April 14, 1930) was a Russian poet, among the foremost representatives of early-20th century Futurism. ... El Lissitzkys poster for a post-revolutionary production of the opera. ... Image File history File links Cover of Merz Magazine vol 2, No. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Jean Arp (September 16, 1886 - June 7, 1966) was a sculptor, painter, and poet. ... Image File history File links A self portrait by Russian avant-garde artist El Lissitzky, 1914 Source http://www. ... Image File history File links Source http://www. ... Kurt Schwitters (June 20, 1887 - January 8, 1948) was a German painter who was born in Hannover, Germany. ... ImageMetadata File history File links A photomontage of a building, The Wolkenbügel, designed, but not built, by Russian artist El Lissitzky. ... The Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven Van Abbemuseum is a museum of modern art located in the city of Eindhoven in the Netherlands close to the Dommel river. ... The Sprengel Museum in Hanover The Sprengel Museum in Hanover houses one of the most significant collections of modern art in Germany. ... The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is a small museum on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. ... For other uses, see Venice (disambiguation). ...

Trivia

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• Scottish indie/post-punk band The Wake, of Factory Records and later of Sarah Records, adapted Lissitzky's "Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge" for the cover of their 1983 Factory Benelux 12-inch single "Something Outside" (catalog FBN 24) and Lissitzky's "Schaumachinerie" (a poster for the opera Victory over the Sun) for the cover of their 1985 Factory album "Here Comes Everybody" (catalog FACT 130). See external links.
• The Peacekeepers of Farscape use a simplified "Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge" as their military flag.

Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... In popular music, indie music (from independent) is any of a number of genres, scenes, subcultures and stylistic and cultural attributes, characterised by perceived independence from commercial pop music and mainstream culture and an autonomous, do-it-yourself (DIY) approach. ... Post punk generally refers to the particularly fertile and creative period following the initial punk rock explosion. During the first wave of punk, roughly spanning 1976-1983, bands such as The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Ramones and The Damned began to challenge the current styles and conventions of rock... The Wake were a British post punk and later indie pop band, founded in Glasgow in 1981 by Gerard Caesar McInulty (formerly of Altered Images), Steven Allen and Joe Donnelly, who was later replaced by Bobby Gillespie. ... FAC 115: Factory Records Stationery (1984) Factory Records was a Manchester-based British independent record label, started in 1978 which featured several prominent musical acts, such as Joy Division, New Order, The Durutti Column, Happy Mondays, and (briefly) James and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. ... There and Back Again Lane is a genuine road name near Blackwells Bookshop, Park Street, Bristol, England Sarah Records was a UK independent record label, best known for its recordings of twee pop. ... Location of Benelux in Europe Official languages Dutch and French Membership  Belgium  Netherlands  Luxembourg Website http://www. ... For the record label, see 12 Inch Records. ... El Lissitzkys poster for a post-revolutionary production of the opera. ... Peacekeepers are a militaristic organization in the fictional Farscape universe. ...

Resources

Footnotes

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

El Lissitzky

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 68th day of the year (69th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

El Lissitzky

• The Getty Research Institute - Monuments of the Future
• ^(Flash) or ^(HTML) - The Getty Center's home page for El Lissitzky - Biography, media, etc.
• El Lissitzky in Weimar Germany - An essay and biography on his life and work, focusing particularly on his time in Germany
• Ibiblio.org - Image collection of some of his most famous works
• MoMA - Flash-navigable exploration of USSR im bau and Dlia Golossa (click on "Reading Room" link)
• The Roland Collection of Films & Videos on Art - Free streaming download of an entire 88-minute documentary, El Lissitzky, by Leo Lorez (Realplayer required)
• A Factory Discography - Factory Records catalog by Dennis Remmer.
• Factory Benelux Discography - Factory Benelux section of the above website (scroll to FBN 24 to see The Wake).
• FAC 101 to FAC 150 - Portion of Remmer's Factory catalog that contains FACT 130.

Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Wikiquote is one of a family of wiki-based projects run by the Wikimedia Foundation, running on MediaWiki software. ... The Getty Center, seen from the Central Garden The Getty Center in Los Angeles, California, USA, is the current home of the J. Paul Getty Museum as well as a research institute, conservation institute, grant program, and leadership institute. ... // == Macromedia Flash == ==]] Using Macromedia Flash 8 (bundled in Studio 8) in Windows XP. Maintainer: Adobe Systems (formerly Macromedia) Latest release: 8 / September 30th, 2005 OS: Windows (no native Windows XP Professional x64 Edition support), Mac OS X, Linux (i386 only, via wine [1]) Use: Multimedia Content Creator License: Proprietary Website... RealPlayer, briefly known also as RealOne Player, is a cross-platform media player by RealNetworks that plays a number of multimedia formats including MP3, MPEG-4, QuickTime, Windows Media and multiple versions of proprietary RealAudio and RealVideo formats. ...