Max Bill (b. 22nd December 1908 & d. 9th December 1994) was a Swiss architect, painter and designer. His initial ambition was to be a silversmith and in his early years trained at Zurich to become just that. His course of study quickly changed though as he was inspired by ‘Le Cobusier’ to go and study architecture at the Bauhaus school of design in Dessau, Germany. He initially studied painting, metalwork and stage design at the Bauhaus. Even well after his education was over, he continued to be influenced by the work of the Bauhaus. He soon set up a studio in Zurich where he switched his focus to architecture, sculpture and painting, making a living by creating advertisements. Following his success as an independent artist and designer, he was inducted into the Allianz group in 1937 which was a small selection of Swiss modern, abstract artists.

Nothing much changed again until 1944 when he begun to focus more on industrial design, where in the same year, he also founded the ‘Abstrakt Konkret’ journal. Alongside this, he also took up a role teaching the theory of form in Zurich. He began producing little bits n bobs such as chairs and wall sprockets, nothing particularly too artistic, however his approach was a very technical and mathematical way of emphasising the simplicity of the products. It is evident that his style has been fairly consistent throughout, with elements of his current work at this time being present in earlier sculpture work from 1942 where he had a particular interest on geometric forms and lines.

In 1953, along with Inge Scholl and Otl Aicher, he founded the Ulm School of Design, where he remained rector until 1955. Whilst there, he gained position as director of both the product design and architecture departments. He was heavily involved in planning out the curriculum and building designs of the school, where he continued the traditional design of the Bauhaus.

In 1959 and 1964, he was a part of the Kassel Documenta, which was an exhibition of contemporary art that happens every 5 years or so in the city of Kassel, Germany. In 1964, alongside his appearance at the Kassel Documenta, Max Bill also became the head architect of the ‘Bilden and Gestalten’ at the Swiss national exhibition in Lausanne. In the following years between 1967-1974, Bill went on to teach environmental design at the ‘Staatliche Hochschule fur Bildende Kunste’ in Hamburg. During this time, in 1971, he also set up his own gallery ‘Denise Rene und Hans Mayer’ in Dusseldorf.
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In his later years during the 80s, Max Bill created several famous and familiar sculptures which went on to influence and help develop some of the modern art style we all know and love today which is evident through his achievements. One of his most prized accomplishments was receiving the ‘Frank J Malina Leonardo Award’, which was rewarded for his lifetime achievements by the ‘International Society for the Arts, Sciences and Technology’.

Johannes Itten (b. 11th November 1888 & d.25th March 1967) was a Swiss expressionist painter, designer, teacher, theorist and writer, commonly associated with the Bauhaus school. Itten became part of the core of the Weimar Bauhaus along with fellow German painters Lyonel Feininger and Gerhard Marcks, under the direction of the architect Walter Gropius.

Having been born the son of a teacher, Itten was influenced and inspired to study a teaching course of his own at the institute in Hofwil, Berlin. For a brief period between 1908-1909, he worked as a primary school teacher where he subsequently went on to spend another term at a different school until 1910. After this, he wanted to study to become a secondary school teacher and so took a diploma in maths and natural science at the University of Bern. During this period of study, he began learning about the concept of psychoanalysis, which prompted him to then follow up and learn about colour and painting theories.

As a teacher, his aim was not to criticise the mistakes of his students but encourage their individuality. He took several trips abroad during his early years as a teacher and this is where he fell in love with art, also allowing him to develop his own style of painting. In 1913 he started training with Adolf Holzel in Stuttgart until 1916. After this, Itten moved to Vienna where he soon became enveloped in the music around him. Meeting new people begun to put his name out there and soon enough he was introduced to Walter Gropius, who in turn invited him to teach at the Bauhaus in 1919.

Teaching in Weimar from 1919-1923, Itten developed a universal doctrine in design, in which he passed on and taught his knowledge of colour concepts, composition and materials. After developing an intense devotion to a cult following, he was swiftly dismissed from the Bauhaus group. Soon after this, he opened up his own school for the arts in Berlin, 1926 where he continued to teach the principles of colour. He taught at a textiles school between 1932-1938 and then moved to the Netherlands there after to become the director of the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Zurich.
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In the following years, he devoted his time entirely to teaching, before retiring in 1955 so that he could become more invested in his painting. In his retirement years, he wrote several books, these being; ‘Art and Colour’ (1961) and ‘My Preliminary Course at Bauhaus’ (1963). In addition to these accomplishments, in 1966 he also received the ‘Netherlands Sikkens Art Prize’ as well as representing Switzerland at the 33rd Venice Biennale.

'Hit the Whites with the Red Wedge!' - El Lissitzky - 1920
'Books (Please)! In All Branches of Knowledge' - Alexander Rodchenko - 1924

What is Constructivism?
Constructivism is an art movement which emphasizes building and science rather than any artistic ability and expression. Constructivists sought to influence society from architecture, fashion, design and anything mass-produced. They detracted all traditional features of art, like composition and focused entirely on building art. From paintings and posters, even to textiles, constructivists used such instruments as rulers and compasses to create sparse, geometric forms.

El Lissitzky was a pioneer of architecture, typography and installation art in Soviet Russia in the early 20th century, Lissitzky experimented with new, previously unseen media and materials which went of to influence and define such things as 20th century propaganda and modern graphic design. Lissitzky was heavily influenced by the work of Kazimir Malevich and his work on suprematism which prompted him to dedicate his form of art to the advancement of Soviet Russia. Lissitzky's political poster 'Hit the Whites with the Red Wedge' is a prime example of Constructivism. It combines symbolic geometric shapes and blocky text to portray the Bolshevik ideology of progress standardizing the rejection of traditional artistic connotations. This poster in particular is very random in nature and composition and features no obvious forms other than the shapes and text. The text in this illustration follows no rules or traditions and is seemingly placed at random, however an interesting thing to note is how they all seem to follow the same diagonal axis. from top left, to bottom right. The font is very basic in nature, but fitting with the rest of the bold shapes and sharp edges in the image, the text also has a similar sharpness as well as what appears to be an entirely capitalised style, again contributing the the overall boldness and rigidity of the style as a whole.

​Alexander Rodchenko was a very central figure in Russian Constructivism who strived to reject traditional artistic conventions. Rodchenko, along with similar constructivists of the time, produced very abstract unconventional paintings, all of which concerned composition and the placement of objects in space. Rodchenko was particularly concerned with introducing and emphasizing dynamic diagonal compositions. As well as being a constructivist, he also joined the productivists in 1921 who advocated to integrate art in to everyday life. Rodchenko focused solely on graphic design, producing a range of propaganda posters and adverts. Much like the LIssitzky piece, Rodchenko has worked using the same sort of colour scheme here, being monochrome with a splash of vibrant red, however in this we also see a photograph included among the shapes and text too. There is a lot more organisation and symmetry here, with a bit more focus on composition rather than the random placement of shapes and lines that are featured in Lissitzky's poster. The text in ​'Books (Please)! In All Branches of Knowledge' is in the same sort of font as the 'Hit the Whites with the Red Wedge!' poster, being very blocky and square, with some parts being distorted to fit the shapes that they're in, which is particularly noticeable in this one, giving the image the illusion that he is projecting his voice outwards, as if it were an exclamation. 

In Glasgow, a unique type of Art Nouveau developed, originating from the ‘Glasgow Four’; Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Margaret MacDonald, Frances MacDonald and Herbert McNair. As a group, they explored a variety of media including painting, book illustration, interiors, architecture and even furniture.
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One of the most recognisable symbols of Art Nouveau in Glasgow is the School of Arts building which famously features a sculpture by Mackintosh and is one of the few places in the UK where you will find such examples of the movement.

The style developed by Mackintosh featured lots of linear structures and lattice designs which allowed for the artwork to be enhanced by its surroundings. In comparison to some of the other Art Nouveau styles from around the world, the style developed in Glasgow is evidently a lot less dramatic and exotic.

​Art Nouveau in Vienna blossomed around the turn of the 20th century and is characterised by its very decorative and organic designs, often featuring lots of gold and vibrant colours, in a much more traditional style. Two of the most influential Austrian architects/artists of this period were Otto Wagner and Adolf Loos who helped build the basis of the city skyline we see today.
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One of the things that sets apart the Art Nouveau style in Vienna apart from other styles is the use of organic ornamentation and vivid colour choices as well as very intricate and detailed designs, which is rather different in contrast to the more modern take on Art Nouveau seen in Glasgow. 

The most obvious form of Art Nouveau in Madrid is that of the extravagant architecture found throughout the city. The colour palette found throughout these buildings and designs is slightly softer and lighter than that of other examples, like Vienna. A particular stand-out feature of this architecture is the stained-glass windows, featuring an array of colours,  notably plenty of yellows and blues. In comparison to the style found in Vienna, Art Nouveau in Madrid is more simple and cleaner cut, potentially making it more elegant and appealing. 

The most notable staple of Art Nouveau in Madrid is the Palacio de Longoria. It is recognisable because of its luxurious, highly ornamental exterior. Inside, the main feature is the rather striking imperial staircase, which is circular in shape and gets its inspiration from French Art Nouveau architecture, much like the rest of the decor.

Between 1890 and 1914, a group of Art Nouveau artists called 'The Ecole de Nancy' (Nancy School) introduced the style to the city. Emile Galle was a particularly influential figure that worked with this group, who's inspiration came from natural forms and shapes.

Again, similarly to Madrid, the colour palette here is also somewhat muted and includes lots of blues and yellows. That being said though, there are elements that can be linked back to Glasgow Art Nouveau with the rather simplistic lines and shapes that also feature subdued tones. The thing that sets this apart from the other styles is the floral and free flowing natural forms in contrast to the more polished and refined lines found within other cities' architecture.

Left Image; "Bridge at Villeneuve-la-Garenne" - oil painting - c.1872 - Alfred Sisley

Middle Image; "Danseuses dans une salle d'exercice" - oil painting - c.1873 - Edgar Degas

Right Image; "Luncheon of the Boating Party" - oil painting - c.1881 - Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Here I've chosen some works from the same impressionist period of the late 19th century and early 20th century, including landscapes and portraits to show how both subjects differ from those pieces inspired by Japanese art. Some key factors that hint at pieces being inspired by Japanese art include bold colours, flat planes, dramatic stylisation and unusual expressions. All these examples below show no influence from Japan. There are no particular stylized elements to these paintings; they all include relatively muted colours, no common compositional elements, nor any blank, flat spaces in the imagery. The piece on the left illustrates no compositional elements taken from Japonisme, especially when comparing it to "The Water Lily Pond" which I have analysed below. The positioning of the bridge and river in Renoir's is rather different to Monet's and the bridge in this piece appears to be much more modern and not of the type you'd expect to find in Japanese works. There are also no elements of Japanese culture in contrast to Monet's Water Lily Pond series, where you can find cherry blossoms and water lilies etc. This may not be relative, as it could be down to the fact the landscapes they're both painting are just very different, but it is something worthy of noting nonetheless. As with the two portrait pieces below, the elements illustrated here are very different compared to those found in Cassat's "Maternal Caress" piece which I analyzed before. There is a lot more realism added in these two, which can be found in the depth of the pieces, with the density of the shadows and a much more interesting, detailed background, in contrast to the minimalist, rather flat and plain one seen in Cassat's work.

Left Image; "Bamboo Yards, Kyobashi Bridge" -  woodblock print - c.1857 - Utagawa Hiroshiga 
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Right Image; "The Water Lily Pond" - oil painting - c.1899 - Claude Monet

Here is one of the more famous examples of Japonisme, where we can see Monet's influence from Japanese art, in particular this piece on the left by Utagawa Hiroshiga. Monet has taken a very similar, almost identical bridge and placed it in to his own setting. He was known to surround himself in beauty, as evident from his large collection of Japanese woodblock prints scattered around the walls of his home, from where he was also inspired to adapt his own oriental gardens to replicate those of typical Japanese culture. This particular comparison between these two works shows Monet's compositional takes from the piece on the left. The bridge is placed roughly along one of the lines of third, almost identical to that of Hiroshiga's piece. As well as this, the inclusion of the river as a focal point and 'leading line' in the composition with a slightly off-center viewpoint also adds to his portrayal of inspiration from Hiroshiga's piece.

Left Image; "Otome" - woodblock print, ink and colour on paper - c.1818-1823 - Kikukawa Eizan
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Right Image; "Maternal Caress" - oil on canvas - c.1902 - Mary Stevenson Cassat

In Cassat's painting here, we can see she has taken elements from Japanese art, particularly her use of dividing space in to geometric units, which is evident throughout the composition. Western art history has had it's fair share of 'mother & child' paintings, however it's clear in this instance that Cassat has been influenced by the intimacy and affection between the two subjects, something which was not previously a common factor in such paintings. It would've been very unusual at the time for traditional western artworks to show affection and emotion in their subjects. The background of this piece is also rather minimal in comparison to similar works of the same period, another factor which was commonplace in Japanese art.

This piece of clothing from Icon. Amsterdam is a pair of semi-smart muscle fit pants called 'The Viera Trousers'.

The design involves lots of chequered patterns and line work, mainly of a monochromatic style, however upon looking closely there are hints of red among the bold black lines to add a bit of life to the design. The colour scheme is very typical of modern times, with little colour being introduced and people tending to prefer a more minimal, clean looking approach to things these days.

The material these are constructed from is simply just cotton fabric, which along with their super-stretchy, tight-fitting properties make them exceptionally comfortable to wear, not to mention fashionable and fairly unique in the process, too.

The intention of this particular product is to provide a modern and contemporary piece of street wear, as well as giving that hint of class along with it, all for a relatively affordable price (£69), especially considering some of the alternatives. The brand themselves states that they are all about bringing street-wear and art together to create clothing that allows you to stand out from the crowd.

Since the brand was only established recently in December 2017, it is clear to see that their target audience is predominantly the younger generations. The particular style of these trousers and the brand as a whole portrays a sense of class in society as it's not something typical of today's youth. It strays away from stereotypical preconceptions of younger people's style, which are often just mucky jeans and tracksuits, etc. This is exactly the reason I purchased this pair; to remove myself from the stereotype category and in to a more sophisticated and artsy individual. It is a piece of clothing that directly expresses my personality and artistic side.