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The World Backwards: Russian Futurist Books 1912-16 by Susan P. Compton; Liberated Colorand Form: Russian Non-Objective Art 1915-22. Exhibition CatalogueReview by: John E. BowltLeonardo, Vol. 13, No. 2 (Spring, 1980), p. 165Published by: The MIT PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1578014 .

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ception of 'non-objective' (nonfigurative) painting, especially as reflected in the ideas and practice of Kandinsky, Malevich and Rodchenko. Nakov gives particular attention to the pheno- menon of line and, through reference to Bogomazov, Malevich and Rodchenko, argues that 'line existed not as a complement to representation (the flat surface), but as a rival and a substitute for it'. In a broader context, Nakov contends that the rejection of illusionism in painting led some Russian artists, specifically Malevich, to imbue the artistic experience with an increased philosophical and subjective dimension and that this gave nonfigurative or abstract art a new justification. Moreover, Nakov argues, I think correctly, that the transference of the formal esthetic to the applied arts undertaken by Popova, Rodchenko, et al., did not resolve the issues posed by 'non- objective' painting, but merely avoided them.

The catalog contains entries for 71 paintings, drawings and reliefs by the key members of this Russian group (except for Tatlin) and a section of relevant documentary materials. Each entry is accompanied by a full description.

Retorica del Arte Latinoamericano. (In Spanish) Jorge Glusberg. Nuevo Vision y Centro de Documentacion de Arte y Arquitetura para America Latina, Buenos Aires, 1978. 199 pp., illus. Paper. Reviewed by Elena de Bertola*

An Introduction by Gillo Dorfles stresses the important role that Latin America will play in the visual arts in the not too distant future. He also attempts to systematize ideas that Glusberg has already set forth in previous introductory studies.

The text, accompanied by many illustrations, enables readers to obtain a view of Latin American works of the period that Glusberg terms 'experimental' and that began at the end of the 1960s after the 'colonial' period that persisted until the middle of the 20th century and after the 'cosmopolitan' period between 1950 and 1970. He categorizes the 'experimental' works as systems art, conceptual art, magic art, ecological art, social art, action art and catastrophic art and finds that they generally stem from Marcel Duchamp's break away in the 1920s from European visual art traditions. Taking into account developments in structuralism, sociology and semiology, he discusses the formal and conceptual features of these Latin American works.

He concludes that a new type of artist is emerging who does not hesitate to attempt to emulate scientific researchers in order to draw attention to social and environmental conditions in Latin America with the aim of transforming them.

Glusberg's study will interest those who wish to learn about an aspect of contemporary Latin American visual art that is more concerned with artistic processes and social problems than with 'good' art in the form of objects.

Art and Politics in the Weimar Period: The New Sobriety, 1917-1933. John Willett. Pantheon Books, New York, 1978. 272 pp., illus. $17.95. Reviewed by Gerhard Charles Rump**

Between 1917 and 1933, the year of Hitler's accession to power, Europe witnessed a breathtaking cultural development, with Weimar Germany at its centre, hosting important artists of many kinds of the 1920s. Willett has produced an admirable book, which provides a cogent explanation of the political and aesthetic currents that were prevalent at the time and which determined the development of painting, sculpture, architecture, design, photography and film, literature and music. One of the major concepts, Die Neue Sachlichkeit (The New Sobriety) is given a very full treatment (down to the inclusion of the term in the book's title), but Willett's scope is very much wider and he also places the Neue Sachlichkeit in its context. The New Sobriety made use of the discoveries of the various new movements and

ception of 'non-objective' (nonfigurative) painting, especially as reflected in the ideas and practice of Kandinsky, Malevich and Rodchenko. Nakov gives particular attention to the pheno- menon of line and, through reference to Bogomazov, Malevich and Rodchenko, argues that 'line existed not as a complement to representation (the flat surface), but as a rival and a substitute for it'. In a broader context, Nakov contends that the rejection of illusionism in painting led some Russian artists, specifically Malevich, to imbue the artistic experience with an increased philosophical and subjective dimension and that this gave nonfigurative or abstract art a new justification. Moreover, Nakov argues, I think correctly, that the transference of the formal esthetic to the applied arts undertaken by Popova, Rodchenko, et al., did not resolve the issues posed by 'non- objective' painting, but merely avoided them.

The catalog contains entries for 71 paintings, drawings and reliefs by the key members of this Russian group (except for Tatlin) and a section of relevant documentary materials. Each entry is accompanied by a full description.

Retorica del Arte Latinoamericano. (In Spanish) Jorge Glusberg. Nuevo Vision y Centro de Documentacion de Arte y Arquitetura para America Latina, Buenos Aires, 1978. 199 pp., illus. Paper. Reviewed by Elena de Bertola*

An Introduction by Gillo Dorfles stresses the important role that Latin America will play in the visual arts in the not too distant future. He also attempts to systematize ideas that Glusberg has already set forth in previous introductory studies.

The text, accompanied by many illustrations, enables readers to obtain a view of Latin American works of the period that Glusberg terms 'experimental' and that began at the end of the 1960s after the 'colonial' period that persisted until the middle of the 20th century and after the 'cosmopolitan' period between 1950 and 1970. He categorizes the 'experimental' works as systems art, conceptual art, magic art, ecological art, social art, action art and catastrophic art and finds that they generally stem from Marcel Duchamp's break away in the 1920s from European visual art traditions. Taking into account developments in structuralism, sociology and semiology, he discusses the formal and conceptual features of these Latin American works.

He concludes that a new type of artist is emerging who does not hesitate to attempt to emulate scientific researchers in order to draw attention to social and environmental conditions in Latin America with the aim of transforming them.

Glusberg's study will interest those who wish to learn about an aspect of contemporary Latin American visual art that is more concerned with artistic processes and social problems than with 'good' art in the form of objects.

Art and Politics in the Weimar Period: The New Sobriety, 1917-1933. John Willett. Pantheon Books, New York, 1978. 272 pp., illus. $17.95. Reviewed by Gerhard Charles Rump**

Between 1917 and 1933, the year of Hitler's accession to power, Europe witnessed a breathtaking cultural development, with Weimar Germany at its centre, hosting important artists of many kinds of the 1920s. Willett has produced an admirable book, which provides a cogent explanation of the political and aesthetic currents that were prevalent at the time and which determined the development of painting, sculpture, architecture, design, photography and film, literature and music. One of the major concepts, Die Neue Sachlichkeit (The New Sobriety) is given a very full treatment (down to the inclusion of the term in the book's title), but Willett's scope is very much wider and he also places the Neue Sachlichkeit in its context. The New Sobriety made use of the discoveries of the various new movements and

ception of 'non-objective' (nonfigurative) painting, especially as reflected in the ideas and practice of Kandinsky, Malevich and Rodchenko. Nakov gives particular attention to the pheno- menon of line and, through reference to Bogomazov, Malevich and Rodchenko, argues that 'line existed not as a complement to representation (the flat surface), but as a rival and a substitute for it'. In a broader context, Nakov contends that the rejection of illusionism in painting led some Russian artists, specifically Malevich, to imbue the artistic experience with an increased philosophical and subjective dimension and that this gave nonfigurative or abstract art a new justification. Moreover, Nakov argues, I think correctly, that the transference of the formal esthetic to the applied arts undertaken by Popova, Rodchenko, et al., did not resolve the issues posed by 'non- objective' painting, but merely avoided them.

The catalog contains entries for 71 paintings, drawings and reliefs by the key members of this Russian group (except for Tatlin) and a section of relevant documentary materials. Each entry is accompanied by a full description.

Retorica del Arte Latinoamericano. (In Spanish) Jorge Glusberg. Nuevo Vision y Centro de Documentacion de Arte y Arquitetura para America Latina, Buenos Aires, 1978. 199 pp., illus. Paper. Reviewed by Elena de Bertola*

An Introduction by Gillo Dorfles stresses the important role that Latin America will play in the visual arts in the not too distant future. He also attempts to systematize ideas that Glusberg has already set forth in previous introductory studies.

The text, accompanied by many illustrations, enables readers to obtain a view of Latin American works of the period that Glusberg terms 'experimental' and that began at the end of the 1960s after the 'colonial' period that persisted until the middle of the 20th century and after the 'cosmopolitan' period between 1950 and 1970. He categorizes the 'experimental' works as systems art, conceptual art, magic art, ecological art, social art, action art and catastrophic art and finds that they generally stem from Marcel Duchamp's break away in the 1920s from European visual art traditions. Taking into account developments in structuralism, sociology and semiology, he discusses the formal and conceptual features of these Latin American works.

He concludes that a new type of artist is emerging who does not hesitate to attempt to emulate scientific researchers in order to draw attention to social and environmental conditions in Latin America with the aim of transforming them.

Glusberg's study will interest those who wish to learn about an aspect of contemporary Latin American visual art that is more concerned with artistic processes and social problems than with 'good' art in the form of objects.

Art and Politics in the Weimar Period: The New Sobriety, 1917-1933. John Willett. Pantheon Books, New York, 1978. 272 pp., illus. $17.95. Reviewed by Gerhard Charles Rump**

Between 1917 and 1933, the year of Hitler's accession to power, Europe witnessed a breathtaking cultural development, with Weimar Germany at its centre, hosting important artists of many kinds of the 1920s. Willett has produced an admirable book, which provides a cogent explanation of the political and aesthetic currents that were prevalent at the time and which determined the development of painting, sculpture, architecture, design, photography and film, literature and music. One of the major concepts, Die Neue Sachlichkeit (The New Sobriety) is given a very full treatment (down to the inclusion of the term in the book's title), but Willett's scope is very much wider and he also places the Neue Sachlichkeit in its context. The New Sobriety made use of the discoveries of the various new movements and

The World Backwards: Russian Futurist Books 1912-16. Susan P. Compton. The British Library, London, 1978. 136 pp., illus. ?7.50. Liberated Color and Form: Russian Non-Objective Art 1915-22. Introduction by Andrei B. Nakov. Exhibition cata- logue, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, 1978. 35 pp., illus. Reviewed by John E. Bowlt*

In October, 1978, The British Library, London, organized a fascinating exhibition of Russian illustrated books from the Cubo-Futurist era, displaying copies of legendary publications such as Mirskontsa (World Backwards) (1912), Vozropshchem (Let's Grumble) (1913) and Pomada (Pomade) (1913). To prepare an exhibition of this kind is not an easy task, since the Russian futurist booklets and brochures were published in minuscule editions, were not popular purchases at the time and, during the anti-formalist campaigns of the 1930s-1950s, were often destroyed. Furthermore, over recent years these publi- cations have sometimes been broken up by unscrupulous dealers and their lithographic illustrations sold separately. Compton was responsible for the arrangement of this exhibition and her book is an extension of, and commentary on, that venture. Both the exhibition and the book are opportune, inasmuch as the illustrated book, Russian or otherwise, of the late 19th and the early 20th century, is now attracting unprecedented attention, academic and financial.

The World Backwards is an exceptional book about an exceptional subject, and it makes a key contribution to the still limited knowledge of the Russian innovative artists of the period. In five chapters, Compton discusses the Russian futurists as poets, painters, book illustrators and stage designers. In parti- cular, she discusses the composition and function of the futurist book in Russia in the climactic period of 1912-14, although she also makes reference to later, less familiar editions. After a solid introductory description of the general ideas and trends of nontraditional literary and artistic circles, Compton focuses attention on the combined efforts of the Burliuk brothers, Filonov, Goncharova, Guro, Khlebnikov, Kruchenykh, La- rionov, Malevich, etc., analyzing specific examples of the futurist book. Of great importance is Chapter 5 where the author relates the calligraphic and illustrative designs of these books to paintings of the time, comparing, for example, Larionov's graphic and painted Rayonism (or, to use Compton's more literal translation, Rayism), Malevich's cubo-futurist drawings to his paintings and other parallels of this kind.

Her book is not so much a source of new information as an accurate. compendium of hitherto scattered data, systematized and cataloged for both scholarly and general consumption, and providing, so to say, a visual counterpart to Markov's pioneering book Russian Futurism of 1968. Indeed, The World Backwards is one of the few publications on the Russian innovators that sifts fact from fiction, corrects the traditional mistakes now circulat- ing through numerous gallery and auction catalogs, usually supplies precise descriptions of each booklet mentioned and complements the text with excellent color and monochrome reproductions. One of my few grounds for complaint is the lack of a historical prelude and perspective and of reference to the Russian illustrated editions of the late 19th century (e.g. by Ropet and Maliutin) and to the traditional principles of book design upheld by the World of Art group and the Circle of Lovers of Russian Fine Editions (Benois, Dobuzhinsky, Somov, etc.). It is unwise to separate the futurist publications from their more refined, more conservative counterparts, however important the differences, for both were components of Russia's 'Silver Age'.

Inevitably, I wish the book were larger, more comprehensive and that addenda had included a complete listing of Russian futurist books. Perhaps Compton will heed my desire and apply her expertise to a catalogue raisonne?

The exhibition Liberated Color and Form was devoted to the Russian innovative visual artists such as Exter, Malevich, Popova and Rodchenko. The Introduction and compilation of the catalog are by Nakov and, as usual with his writings, the text is at once factographic and interpretative. Essentially, Nakov provides an overview of the formal development of these artists,

The World Backwards: Russian Futurist Books 1912-16. Susan P. Compton. The British Library, London, 1978. 136 pp., illus. ?7.50. Liberated Color and Form: Russian Non-Objective Art 1915-22. Introduction by Andrei B. Nakov. Exhibition cata- logue, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, 1978. 35 pp., illus. Reviewed by John E. Bowlt*

In October, 1978, The British Library, London, organized a fascinating exhibition of Russian illustrated books from the Cubo-Futurist era, displaying copies of legendary publications such as Mirskontsa (World Backwards) (1912), Vozropshchem (Let's Grumble) (1913) and Pomada (Pomade) (1913). To prepare an exhibition of this kind is not an easy task, since the Russian futurist booklets and brochures were published in minuscule editions, were not popular purchases at the time and, during the anti-formalist campaigns of the 1930s-1950s, were often destroyed. Furthermore, over recent years these publi- cations have sometimes been broken up by unscrupulous dealers and their lithographic illustrations sold separately. Compton was responsible for the arrangement of this exhibition and her book is an extension of, and commentary on, that venture. Both the exhibition and the book are opportune, inasmuch as the illustrated book, Russian or otherwise, of the late 19th and the early 20th century, is now attracting unprecedented attention, academic and financial.

The World Backwards is an exceptional book about an exceptional subject, and it makes a key contribution to the still limited knowledge of the Russian innovative artists of the period. In five chapters, Compton discusses the Russian futurists as poets, painters, book illustrators and stage designers. In parti- cular, she discusses the composition and function of the futurist book in Russia in the climactic period of 1912-14, although she also makes reference to later, less familiar editions. After a solid introductory description of the general ideas and trends of nontraditional literary and artistic circles, Compton focuses attention on the combined efforts of the Burliuk brothers, Filonov, Goncharova, Guro, Khlebnikov, Kruchenykh, La- rionov, Malevich, etc., analyzing specific examples of the futurist book. Of great importance is Chapter 5 where the author relates the calligraphic and illustrative designs of these books to paintings of the time, comparing, for example, Larionov's graphic and painted Rayonism (or, to use Compton's more literal translation, Rayism), Malevich's cubo-futurist drawings to his paintings and other parallels of this kind.

Her book is not so much a source of new information as an accurate. compendium of hitherto scattered data, systematized and cataloged for both scholarly and general consumption, and providing, so to say, a visual counterpart to Markov's pioneering book Russian Futurism of 1968. Indeed, The World Backwards is one of the few publications on the Russian innovators that sifts fact from fiction, corrects the traditional mistakes now circulat- ing through numerous gallery and auction catalogs, usually supplies precise descriptions of each booklet mentioned and complements the text with excellent color and monochrome reproductions. One of my few grounds for complaint is the lack of a historical prelude and perspective and of reference to the Russian illustrated editions of the late 19th century (e.g. by Ropet and Maliutin) and to the traditional principles of book design upheld by the World of Art group and the Circle of Lovers of Russian Fine Editions (Benois, Dobuzhinsky, Somov, etc.). It is unwise to separate the futurist publications from their more refined, more conservative counterparts, however important the differences, for both were components of Russia's 'Silver Age'.

Inevitably, I wish the book were larger, more comprehensive and that addenda had included a complete listing of Russian futurist books. Perhaps Compton will heed my desire and apply her expertise to a catalogue raisonne?

The exhibition Liberated Color and Form was devoted to the Russian innovative visual artists such as Exter, Malevich, Popova and Rodchenko. The Introduction and compilation of the catalog are by Nakov and, as usual with his writings, the text is at once factographic and interpretative. Essentially, Nakov provides an overview of the formal development of these artists,

The World Backwards: Russian Futurist Books 1912-16. Susan P. Compton. The British Library, London, 1978. 136 pp., illus. ?7.50. Liberated Color and Form: Russian Non-Objective Art 1915-22. Introduction by Andrei B. Nakov. Exhibition cata- logue, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, 1978. 35 pp., illus. Reviewed by John E. Bowlt*

In October, 1978, The British Library, London, organized a fascinating exhibition of Russian illustrated books from the Cubo-Futurist era, displaying copies of legendary publications such as Mirskontsa (World Backwards) (1912), Vozropshchem (Let's Grumble) (1913) and Pomada (Pomade) (1913). To prepare an exhibition of this kind is not an easy task, since the Russian futurist booklets and brochures were published in minuscule editions, were not popular purchases at the time and, during the anti-formalist campaigns of the 1930s-1950s, were often destroyed. Furthermore, over recent years these publi- cations have sometimes been broken up by unscrupulous dealers and their lithographic illustrations sold separately. Compton was responsible for the arrangement of this exhibition and her book is an extension of, and commentary on, that venture. Both the exhibition and the book are opportune, inasmuch as the illustrated book, Russian or otherwise, of the late 19th and the early 20th century, is now attracting unprecedented attention, academic and financial.

The World Backwards is an exceptional book about an exceptional subject, and it makes a key contribution to the still limited knowledge of the Russian innovative artists of the period. In five chapters, Compton discusses the Russian futurists as poets, painters, book illustrators and stage designers. In parti- cular, she discusses the composition and function of the futurist book in Russia in the climactic period of 1912-14, although she also makes reference to later, less familiar editions. After a solid introductory description of the general ideas and trends of nontraditional literary and artistic circles, Compton focuses attention on the combined efforts of the Burliuk brothers, Filonov, Goncharova, Guro, Khlebnikov, Kruchenykh, La- rionov, Malevich, etc., analyzing specific examples of the futurist book. Of great importance is Chapter 5 where the author relates the calligraphic and illustrative designs of these books to paintings of the time, comparing, for example, Larionov's graphic and painted Rayonism (or, to use Compton's more literal translation, Rayism), Malevich's cubo-futurist drawings to his paintings and other parallels of this kind.

Her book is not so much a source of new information as an accurate. compendium of hitherto scattered data, systematized and cataloged for both scholarly and general consumption, and providing, so to say, a visual counterpart to Markov's pioneering book Russian Futurism of 1968. Indeed, The World Backwards is one of the few publications on the Russian innovators that sifts fact from fiction, corrects the traditional mistakes now circulat- ing through numerous gallery and auction catalogs, usually supplies precise descriptions of each booklet mentioned and complements the text with excellent color and monochrome reproductions. One of my few grounds for complaint is the lack of a historical prelude and perspective and of reference to the Russian illustrated editions of the late 19th century (e.g. by Ropet and Maliutin) and to the traditional principles of book design upheld by the World of Art group and the Circle of Lovers of Russian Fine Editions (Benois, Dobuzhinsky, Somov, etc.). It is unwise to separate the futurist publications from their more refined, more conservative counterparts, however important the differences, for both were components of Russia's 'Silver Age'.

Inevitably, I wish the book were larger, more comprehensive and that addenda had included a complete listing of Russian futurist books. Perhaps Compton will heed my desire and apply her expertise to a catalogue raisonne?

The exhibition Liberated Color and Form was devoted to the Russian innovative visual artists such as Exter, Malevich, Popova and Rodchenko. The Introduction and compilation of the catalog are by Nakov and, as usual with his writings, the text is at once factographic and interpretative. Essentially, Nakov provides an overview of the formal development of these artists, examining the genesis and development of the Russian con-

*Dept. of Slavic Languages, University of Texas, Box 7217, Austin, TX 78712, U.S.A.

examining the genesis and development of the Russian con-

*Dept. of Slavic Languages, University of Texas, Box 7217, Austin, TX 78712, U.S.A.

examining the genesis and development of the Russian con-

*Dept. of Slavic Languages, University of Texas, Box 7217, Austin, TX 78712, U.S.A.

*Marcelo T. de Alvear 949/9?65, Buenos Aires, Argentina. **Ubierstrasse 135. D-5300 Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Fed Rep. Ger.

*Marcelo T. de Alvear 949/9?65, Buenos Aires, Argentina. **Ubierstrasse 135. D-5300 Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Fed Rep. Ger.

*Marcelo T. de Alvear 949/9?65, Buenos Aires, Argentina. **Ubierstrasse 135. D-5300 Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Fed Rep. Ger.

165 165 165 Books Books Books

This content downloaded from 188.72.126.118 on Tue, 17 Jun 2014 21:02:53 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions