Theo Van Doesburg

This handsome catalogue presents the Dutch artist Theo Van Doesburg (1883-1931) as a nomadic propagandist on a quest for a new aesthetic that, in conjunction with contemporary science and technology, sought to reform the world. Van Doesburg was a central figure of the De Stijl movement, characterized by a pared-down aesthetic centered in basic visual elements such as geometric shapes and primary colors, and this book highlights the artist's collaborations with other leading members, including Piet Mondrian, Bart van der Leck, and Georges Vantongerloo. It also traces the stylistic trajectory of the artist's career from his Neo-Plasticist and Dadaist creations to his Elementarist and Conrete artworks and brings together art, architecture, cinema, poetry, literature, design, and typography to illuminate Van Doesburg's enduring contributions to De Stijl.