LOOKING FOR LISSITZKY

The nineteen-twenties were a turning point for the Soviet artist El Lissitzky (1890-1941), a leading figure of the Russian avant-garde movement. In 1919-1920, he taught to the People’s Art School in Vitebsk, which had been founded and was then directed by Marc Chagall (1887-1985). His encounter with his colleague Kazimir Malevich (1879-1935), whose suprematist theories he later translated into German, was the key to his shift on abstract art. Between 1924 and 1925, Lissitzky spent time in Locarno and Ambri undergoing medical treatment. These months proved to be a period of intense experimentation and artistic creation, during which he produced some of his most iconic works: the famous Self-Portrait (The Constructor), extensive advertising work for the Pelikan writing products, and visionary architectonic projects such as the Lenin Tribune and the Wolkenbügel – the latter uniting the concept of urban planning with that of a skyscraper. Working with Jean/Hans Arp (1886-1966), he also published The Isms of Art 1924-1914 that sets out an unprecedented survey of European avant-garde movements, establishing a milestone in the history of modern art. In his oeuvre, Lissitzky fused art, architecture and graphic design, taking on a pioneering and innovative role.

One hundred years after his stay in Switzerland, the exhibition immerses visitors in the artist’s creative universe by presenting its many facets. From graphic art to architecture, from publishing to typography, including art theory of art and crtitical essays. Lissitzky’s career was defined by a transdisciplinary approach and commitment to a total concept of art.

A section curated by the Graphische Sammlung ETH Zürich documents the long lasting impact of Lissitzky on Swiss artists.