Concrete Art

Concrete artists, following in the footsteps of the Constructivism and De Stijl movements, proposed art that was entirely detached from realistic subject matter. Its form is based upon precise and preemptive compositional structures that often represent mathematical or scientific formulas. The movement dates back to the mid-20th century, although it was inspired by a manifesto written by Theo van Doesburg in 1930. Over the next two decades, the term was popularized by the Swiss artist and designer Max Bill. By the 1950s, Concrete Art had become a globally widespread and instantly recognizable style, spreading from its initial bases in France and Switzerland to the fertile ground of Europe and, especially, Latin America. The emergence of neo-concretism in Brazil in 1959 may have marked the end of concrete art, but movements in a range of media, including kinetic art, hard-edge painting, Brutalist architecture and concrete poetry, have continued to bear the imprint of its influence.

As an art form focused on representation, concrete art was deeply engaged with the social realities of its time. From its initial foundation in Switzerland - a country whose neutrality during World War II ensured the movement's survival - it developed into an international language of visual symbols and logic that responded to the desire to rebuild international cultural relations after 1945. In Brazil and Argentina in the 1940s and 1950s, concrete art became a movement symbol of an idealistic youth culture that sought to rebuild society on a more rational and humane basis.

Artsper showcases the work of many artists furthering the concrete art technique. Discover the work of Piet Mondrian, Caroline Leite and Rachel Kah to name a few artists who follow in this line of work.