## Laszlo Moholy-Nagy - Biographical Data

Born 1895

After law studies in 1915 at Budapest University, turned to painting and writing.

Co-founder of the review "Jelenkor" Budapest 1917. Member and collaborator of the Hungarian art group "11".

Co-founder of constructivism.

Co-editor "Buch Neuer Kunstler" (Book of new artists) Vienna 1922, and anthology on modern art from Futurism to Constructivism.

Since 1920 working as painter, photographer and author in Berlin. Large number of reproductions of pictures, sculptures, and articles in the international avant-garde papers. First photographs (photographs without camera) 1921.

Since 1923 professor in the Bauhaus in Weimar and Dessau. Teacher of the basic elements of art and head of the metal workshop.

With Walter Gropius editor of the 14 Bauhaus books and the quarterly "Bauhaus".

Co-founder and editor of the international art review "I 10" Amsterdam 1926.

1928 in Berlin, working on experiments with light and color in painting, film and photography.

Stage settings for Piscator's theatre and the States opera in Berlin. Typographical work for newspapers, periodicals, bookwrappers, posters.

Exposition architecture with Gropius in Berlin and Paris and London.

Experiments with new materials: galolith, trolit, collon, rhodoid, enamel, aluminum etc.

Living sculpture for light display "Lichtrequisit" 1922-30.

1935-37 in London. Books with photographs. Films: "Lobsters", among the best films for 1936. Special effects for L.G. Wells' "Things to Come", London Film.

One man show of photographs Royal Photographic Society. Exhibitions of painting and sculptures, London, Oxford, Cambridge, Hull, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham etc.

1937 Director of School of Design in Chicago.

Books: Horizont, Moholy-Nagy, Vienna 1921; Malerci-Fotografie-Film, Munich, 1925; Vom Material zur Architektur, Munich 1928; Fototek; 60 photographs by L. Moholy-Nagy, Berlin 1929; telchor, Brno 1936; The New Vision, New York 1930 and 1936.

Translations in Japanese and Russian,

Book illustrations in photography:

Street Markets of London with Mary Benedetto

Oxford University Chest with John Botjeman

Eton Portrait with J. Ferguson, all published by John Miles, Publishers, London.

Exhibitions:

Portfolios: Kostner Mappe 6 Lithographies, Hannover, Wiesbaden, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Koln, Frankfurt, Konigsberg, Danzig, Lunchon, Brunschweig, Magdeburg, Brodelau, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Basel, Zurich, Vienna, Prague, Brno, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Bruxelles, Paris, London, Manchester, Cambridge, Oxford, Leicester, Hull, etc.

Films: "Still Life" Berlin (1926) "Lilleville Vioux Port" (1929) "Light Display, Black, White and Gray" (1930) "Sound ABC" (1932) "Gypsies" (1932) "Architecture Congress Athens" (1933) "Lobster" (1935) Special effects for "Things to come" (1935) "New Architecture at the London Zoo" (1936).

Purchases: National Gallery, Budapest; National Gallery, Berlin. Private collections in Hungary, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, U.S.A. etc.

L. Moholy-Nagy

L. Moholy-Nagy began his career as a contributor to the activist paper published in Budapest called "Ha" (Today).

After the war he came to Berlin where his paintings and sculptures impressed Walter Gropius so much that he appointed Moholy-Nagy to the staff of the Bauhaus. He says about him: "He was my nearest collaborator in the Bauhaus; built up the preliminary courses and was head of the workshops. He has had very wide experiences and is endowed with that rare creative power which stimulates the students. He is not only a painter of international fame, but he has worked for years with industrial firms - in glass, metal, textiles and wood, and is equally skilled in photography, films, typography and commercial advertising. In all those branches he did pioneer work."

All the most advanced artists in Germany were either attached to the Bauhaus or in close contact with it. Moholy had charge of the preliminary course there, where he had the responsibility of preparing young students and also of the metallurgical workshops as well. His lectures on the basic theories of the Bauhaus teaching during the period 1923-28 published under the title of "The New Vision" treats thoroughly with the method adopted.

There is hardly any field of artistic creation that Moholy-Nagy has not investigated, in many of them his influence has proved authoritative. His exhibition, typographical work, publicity lay outs, light displays and stage sets (Tales of Hoffman in 1929 and Madame Butterfly in 1931) amply substantiate this claim. His painting is the vital thread linking all his manifold activities.

Moholy-Nagy or Moholy as he is known over Europe, is also well known for his work in photography and in the film. Quoting from the March 1937 issue of the English magazine "Art and Industry": "Because of the work he did in devising special effects for the film "Things to Come", (H. G. Wells) he is at once associated with new worlds and with cities of tomorrow. But he will surprise many people as a man who has a healthy respect for the past. Always working for the things our sons will use, he never forgets, as he says, that "every man is a part of his father and of his traditions."

During the last years he has been engaged in making films in London. "Lobsters" is a short, was chosen among the ten best films of the year. The Museum of Modern Art and the Architectural Department of Harvard University asked him to make a film of the New Architecture of the London Zoo.

In the News Chronicle (London) of March 24th, 1936 the following paragraph appeared: "The cinema would not pause an instant if Greta Garbo disappeared or if Joan Crawford decided to retire; but it would indeed pause if men like Moholy-Nagy stopped work or if Einstein and Pabst decided to make no more films."

He has exercised a decisive influence on photography where he has systematized its potentialities and in some directions actually extended its scope. Every student of photography is familiar with his books on the subject. (E.G. "Painting, Photography, Film" which he published in 1925, and which was the real beginning of modern European photography).

The book, "Street Markets of London" has become as widely known for the photographic illustrations by Moholy-Nagy as for its literary quality. He also made the photographs illustrating two books on Oxford and Eton published in London. He is one of the best known experts in cameraless photography. The Museum of Modern Art- New York circulates a travelling exhibition of his on this subject. He has also worked on color photography and had a one man exhibition at the Royal Photographic Society, London.

His advantages are many. Quoting from the March 1937 issue "Art and Industry" (London): "As the designer for commerce, Moholy-Nagy first of all decides on what he thinks is best for the product. As a painter he will not compromise; but in commercial work his first consideration is for the product and not for an aesthetic belief. He feels that is in this connection that many designers have made mistakes. They have, he suggests, tried to force through a commercial or industrial opportunity some piece of work that rightly belonged to their field of non-commercial work. He himself tries hard to keep the distinction clear, and an examination of his work will show what he does. The two sides of the man are still closely connected, but whereas in painting Moholy-Nagy adjusts action to belief, in commercial work he adjusts belief to the execution of the product's needs."

His knowledge of materials and his ready acceptance of mechanical and scientific developments mean that he will get the utmost out of any product in the way of integrating the product and its presentation in a complete scheme. He sees that technology and design go together. And at a time when much of a people's creative expression is finding its mouthpiece in the things that are used, he comes forward with a surprising knowledge of the things around us. Further, if design is meant to be internationalised, Moholy-Nagy's work seems to come near the mark."

The School of Design in Chicago of which he is the director carries on its work based upon those principles, with great success. The School educates architects, designers, art teachers, photographers etc., through an integration and interpretation of art, science and technology. Students trained in this atmosphere retain the orientation of the artist and artisan, and combine a scientific and technological approach in their work.

He has published, with Gropius, fourteen books under the auspices of the Bauhaus which are among the best sellers in artistic publications.

He has lectured at Cambridge and Oxford.

Some of his paintings are owned by important European collectors and in this country by such collectors of modern art as Walter Chrysler, Jr., Museum of Modern Art and S. Guggenheim.

Herbert Read, well known art editor of London says: "As a painter, typographer photographer, stage-designer and architect he is one of the most creative intelligences of our time."

PRESERVATION PHOTOCOPY: ORIGINAL MATERIAL RESTRICTED

CATALOGUE

MOHOLY-NAGY

Envelope 1931-1940

June 1, 1939, First Public Exhibition in New York City of
Solomon R. Guggenheim Collection of Non-Objective Paintings.

BROOM, Volume 4, No. 4 - March - Photographs by Moholy Nagy.

Lozinski

MOHOLY-NAGY Laszlo. Painter, constructivist, typographer, writer, lecturer.

Born in Borston, Hungary, 1895. Died, Chicago, 1946. Studied law, turned to painting. Served in the World War I in the Hungarian Army. In Berlin 1920-23, painting and writing. 1923 joins the Constructivists. 1923-28 teaches in Bauhaus, heads its metal workshop, works in the interior decoration and photography. 1928 in Berlin, experiments with light and color. Stage designs. In London 1935-37. Arrives in the United States in 1937. Head of the New Bauhaus in Chicago - Institute of Design.

Bibl.: Moholy-Nagy, L. - *The New Vision*. Cropius and Bayer - *Bauhaus*. Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1938.

MOHOLY-NAGY, LASZLO. Painter, constructivist, photographer, writer.

Born in Bacsbarso, Hungary, 1895, died in Chicago, 1946. Studied law in Budapest. In 1915 begun to paint, was a member of the Activists and M.A. group. 1920 in Berlin, exhibited in the gallery of "Der Sturm". Influenced by Russian suprematists and Constructivists, particularly by Malevich and Lissitzki. 1923-28 called to Bauhaus by Cropius. Headed metal workshop, taught interior decoration, worked with photography. Closely associated with Kurt Schwitters. 1928 in Berlin, experimented with light and color in painting, with topographical work, designed stage sets for opera and theatre. 1934 in Holland. 1935-37 in London. Designed "Space Modulator", the three-dimensional paintings. 1937 came to the United States, headed the New Bauhaus in Chicago, then his own school, Chicago's Institute of Design.

Bibl.: Moholy-Nagy, L. - *The New Vision*. New York, 1946.
Moholy-Nagy, L. - *Vision in Motion*. New York, 1947.
R. M. Yoder - Are you contemporary? *Saturday Evening Post*. vol. 216, July 3, 1943, p. 16 ff.

MOHOLY - NAGY, Laszlo. Painter, constructivist, photographer, writer.

Born in Bacsbarsod, Hungary, 1895, died in Chicago, 1946. Studied law in Budapest. In 1915 begun to paint, was a member of the Activists and M.A. group. 1920 in Berlin, exhibited in the gallety of "Der Sturm". Influenced by Russian suprematists and Constructivists, particularly by Malevich and Lissitzki. 1923-28 called to Bauhaus by Gropius. Headed metal workshop, taught interior decoration, worked with photography. Closely associated with Kurt Schwitters. 1928 in Berlin, experimented with light and colour in painting, with topographical work, designed stage sets for opera and theatre. 1934 in Holland. 1935-37 in London. Designed "Space Modulater", the three-dimensional paintings. 1937 came to the United States, Headed the New Bauhaus in Chicago, then his own school, Chicago's Institute of Design.

Bibl.: Moholy-Nagy L. - *The New Vision*. New York, 1946.
- " - " - *Vision in Motion*. New York, 1947.
R.M.Yoder - Are you contemporary? *Saturday Evening Post*. vol.216, July 3, 1943 p.16 ff.

MOHOLY - NAGY, Laszlo. Painter, constructivist, typographer, writer, lecturer.
Born in Borson, Hungary, 1995. Died, Chicago, 1946. Studied law, turned to painting.
Served in the World War I, in the Hungarian Army. In Berlin 1920-23, painting and
writing. 1923 joins the Constructivists. 1923-28 teaches in Bauhaus, heads its metal
workshop, works in the interior decoration and photography. 1928 in Berlin, experiments
with light and colour. Stage designs. In London 1935-37. Arrives in the United States
in 1937. Head of the New Bauhaus in Chicago - Institute of Design.

Bibl.: Moholy-Nagy L.- The New Vision. Gropius and Bayer - Bauhaus. Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1938.

LASZLO MOHOLY-NAGY

Painter, designer, author, teacher

Born in Bacsbarso, Hungary, 1895. 1913, studied law in Budapest. 1914, served in the Austro-Hungarian Army on the Russian front; 1917, severely wounded.
During convalescence at Odessa and Szeged turned to painting and organized a group called Ma which published a quarterly. He was enthusiastic about this publication, for it enabled him to make public through reproductions the unknown abstractwork of other artists, especially Malevich and Lissitzky. 1918, returned to Budapest and took his degree as Bachelor of Law. 1919, Vienna. 1920, Berlin, became a Constructivist. 1921, exhibited at Der Sturm. 1922, member of de Stijl Group. 1923, teacher at the Bauhaus, Weimar. Also collaborated with Walter Gropius on the publication of the fourteen Bauhaus books concerning the work of the Bauhaus. 1928, Gropius and Moholy-Nagy resigned from the Bauhaus and moved to Berlin. Became a brilliant stage designer: Tales of Hoffman, Madam Butterfly, etc. for the State Opera and Piscator's theatre. Constructed his Lichtrequisit and made documentary films. 1930, extensive travels in France, Finland, Norway, Sicily, Italy and Greece. 1934, in Amsterdam experimenting with color films. Member Abstraction Creation, Paris, 1932-36. 1935, London. 1938, Chicago where he opened his New Bauhaus, American School of Design (now known as the Institute of Design). 1940, developed his three-dimensional Space Modulator. Died in Chicago, 1946. Exhibited with the Société Anonyme from 1926.

"It is twenty-four years since I met Moholy in Berlin. He was then twenty-seven years old. His vitality and his work in action made a deep impression on me. I offered him right away a chair in the Bauhaus which was then in its fourth year of existence. From then on the two of us have been very close in our mutual relations, taking continuous interest in each other's work and life. The Bauhaus and what it has achieved cannot be thought of without bringing back into one's mind the finer spirit of Moholy, the great stimulator. His greatest effort as an

(Laszlo Moholy-Nagy)

artist was devoted to the conquest of space, and he commanded his genius
to venture into all realms of science and art to unriddle the phenomenon of
space. In painting, sculpture and architecture, in theatre and industrial
design, in photography and film, in advertising and typography, he constantly
strove to interpret space in its relation to time, that is, motion in space.
We see that all times he was successful as a thinker and inventor, as a
writer and teacher. That seems almost to be too vast a field for one man to
till, but this abundant versatility was uniquely his. With his power of
imagination he kept this tremendous variety of interest in balance. His vision
took brilliant shortcuts synchronizing his observations into a consistent whole,
for he felt today's danger of over-specialization which leads to fallacies.
Constantly developing new ideas he managed to keep himself in a stage of
unbiased curiosity from where a fresh point of view could originate. With a
shrewd sense of observation he investigated everything that came his way, taking
nothing for granted, but using his acute sense for the organic. Many of us
will remember his peculiar freshness when he was facing a new problem in his art.
With the attitude of an unprejudiced happy child at play he surprised us by the
directness of his intuitive approach. Here, I believe, was the source of his
priceless quality as an educator, namely his never-ceasing power to stimulate
and to carry away the other fellow in his own enthusiasm. What better can
true education achieve than setting the students' minds in motion by that
contagious magic? His work, I know, will gain in time, when weaker eyes will
have learned to see through his, and his students will carry his shining lamp
into the future."

Walter Gropius

From his eulogy at the funeral of Moholy-Nagy, November,

1946

(Laszlo Moholy-Nagy)

CIRCLE AND PLANES

Woodcut, 4 3/4 x 3 1/4. 1941.577.

CIRCLE AND BAR

Woodcut, proof, 3rd state, 3 1/4 x 4 3/4. 1941.578.

CROSS AND CIRCLE

Woodcut, proof, 3 1/4 x 4 3/8. 1941.579.

PLANES AND BEAMS

Woodcut, 4 3/4 x 5 7/8. 1941.580.

Printers Copy

Laszlo Moholy-Nagy

Born in Basebarsod, Hungary 1895. 1913 studied law in Budapest. 1914 served in the Austro-Hungarian Army on the Russian Front. Painter, typographer, writer and lecturer. 1917 severely wounded and during his convalescence at Odessa and Szeged he turned to painting and organized a group called "Ma" which published a quarterly. He was keen about this publication, for it enabled him to make public through reproductions the unknown abstract work of other artists, especially Malevich and Lissitzky. 1918 returned to Budapest and took his degree as Bachelor of Law. 1919 Vienna. 1920 Berlin, and became a Constructivist. 1921 exhibited at Der Sturm. 1922 member of De Stijl Group. 1923 teacher at The Bauhaus, Weimar. Also collaborated with Walter Gropius on the publication of the 14 Bauhaus books concerning the work at The Bauhaus. 1928 Gropius and Moholy-Nagy resigned from The Bauhaus and moved to Berlin. Became a brilliant stage designer: "Tales of Hoffman", "Madame Butterfly", etc. for the State Opera and Piscator's theatre. Constructed his "Lichtrequisit" and made documentary films. 1930 extensive trips to France, Finland, Norway, Sicily, Italy and Greece. 1934 Amsterdam experimenting with color films. 1935 London. 1938 Chicago where he opened his "School of Design". 1940 developed his three-dimensional "Space Modulator". Died in Chicago 1946. Exhibited with the Société Anonyme since 1926.

It is 24 years since I met Moholy in Berlin. He was then 27 years old. His vitality and his work in action made a deep impression on me. I offered him right away a chair in The Bauhaus, which was then in its fourth year of existence. From then on the two of us have been very close in our mutual relations, taking continuous interest in each other's work and life. The Bauhaus and what it has achieved cannot be thought of without bringing back into one's mind the spirit of Moholy, the great stimulator. His greatest effort as an artist was devoted to the conquest of space, and he commanded his genius to venture into all realms of science and art to unriddle the phenomenon of space. In painting, sculpture and architecture, in theatre and industrial design, in photography and film, in advertising and typography, he constantly strove to interpret space in its relation to time, that is, motion in space. We see that all times he was successful as a thinker and inventor, as a

-2-

writer and teacher. That seems almost to be too vast a field for one man to till, but this
abundant versatility was uniquely his. With his power of imagination he kept this tremendous
variety of interest in balance. His vision took brilliant shortcuts synchronizing his
observations into a consistent whole, for he felt today's danger of over-specialization which
leads to fallacies. Constantly developing new ideas he managed to keep himself in a stage
of unbiased curiosity from where a fresh point of view could originate. With a shrewd
sense of observation he investigated everything that came his way, taking nothing for granted,
but using his acute sense for the organic. Many of us will remember his peculiar freshness
when he was facing a new problem in his art. With the attitude of an unprejudiced happy
child at play he surprised us by the directness of his intuitive approach. Here, I believe,
was the source of his priceless quality as an educator, namely his never-ceasing power to
stimulate and to carry away the other fellow with his own enthusiasm. What better can
true education achieve than setting the students' minds in motion by that contagious magic?
His work, I know, will gain in time, when weaker eyes will have learned to see through his,
and his students will carry his shining lamp into the future.

Walter Gropius

Excerpts from the speech at the funeral of Moholy-Nagy, November 1946.

Important Exhibitions:

Der Sturm, Berlin, 1920. Exh. sent further to Hanover, Dresden, Halle, Stuttgart, Hamburg and Frankfurt.

International Exhibition arranged by the Société Anonyme for the Brooklyn Museum representing 23 countries, 1926. Was shown at the Anderson Gallery, New York; the Albright Gallery, Buffalo, New York; The Grange, the Toronto Museum of Art, Toronto, Canada, 1927.

International Werkbund Exh., Paris, 1928.

Exh. arranged by the Société Anonyme: Rand School, New York, 1931.

Exhibited at Industrial Fair, London, 1934.

Anniversary Exhibition of the Collection of the Société Anonyme at the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Gallery, Springfield, Massachusetts, 1939.

First New York Exh.: Museum of Non-Objective Painting, 1939.

Memorial Exh.: Museum of Non-Objective Painting, New York, 1947.

Represented in National Museums at: Stockholm, Amsterdam, Brno, Hamburg, Mannheim, Cologne and Budapest.

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Bibliography:

Moholy-Nagy. Articles in Horizon No. 2, and Ma, Vienna, 1921.

Die Kunst des XIX und XX Jahrhunderts by Hans Hildebrandt, Berlin, 1924.

Special Catalogue for the International Exh. arranged by the Société Anonyme for the Brooklyn Museum representing 23 countries, 1926. 1 Reproduction.

Cubism and Abstract Art by Alfred H. Barr, Jr., Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1936.

Anniversary Catalogue of the Collection of the Société Anonyme at the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Gallery, Springfield, Massachusetts, 1939.

Painting and Sculpture in the Museum of Modern Art, by Alfred H. Barr, Jr., New York, 1948.

Thieme and Becker, Vol. XXV, 1931.

Laszlo Moholy-Nagy Memorial Catalogue. Contains a bibliography of works by and about Laszlo Moholy-Nagy through 1947. Museum of Non-Objective Painting, New York, 1947.

Publications by Moholy-Nagy:

Buch der Neuer Künstler, in collaboration, 1922.

Malerei Fotografie Film, Munich, 1925.

Die Buehne im Bauhaus, in collaboration, 1925.

Vom Material zur Architektur, Munich, 1929.

Street Markets of London, in collaboration, 1935.

Eton Portrait, in collaboration, 1936.

Oxford University Chest, in collaboration, 1937.

The New Vision.

Vision in Motion, New York, 1947.

Constant contributor to the magazines De Stijl, Ma, Der Sturm, etc.

Laszlo Moholy-Nagy: 1 Page -- 2 Columns

1 Column: approx. 425 words: Type: 1946 J

1 Column: approx. 344 words: Type: 1948 M

Biography 200 words

Statement 413 words W.G.

Important Exhibitions 106 "
306 words

413 words

BĚŽEŘENÍ, PHOTOCOPY: OBIJÍCÍTÁM JINÍKŮ V ŽIVOTNÍCH PŘÍLOHÁCH

věly se do popředí nikoli logicko myšlenkové vztahy, ale to působení, jež vznikalo ze slovních zvuků, U některých básníků byla zato věc tak důsledně provedena, za sloyní vztahy byly proměněny ve vztahy zvuků, což znamenalo úplně rozložení slova ve vokály a konsonanty bez logicko-myšlenkové souvislosti.

Tak povstalo dadaistické a futuristické »divadlo překvapení«, které žádalo zrušení logicko myšlenkových prvků (literatury). Přece byl tu stále význačně člověk, jenž až dosud byl v divadle nositelem logicky zřetězeného děje a živoucí myšlenkové činnosti.

### b) Mechanická excentričnost.

Logicky povstal později požadavek mechanické excentričností, která by byla akční koncentrací jeviští čisté kultury. Člověk, kterému nebylo dcvoleno představovati se jako duchový jev ve svých duševních (logicko myšlenkových) schopnostech, neměl v této akční koncentraci místa: neboť on byl schopen, byl-li k tomu školen jen té pohybové organi-sace, kterou mu dovolil jeho přirozený tělesný mechanismus.

Působení tohoto tělesného mechanismu (na př. artistova) bylo v tom, že divák byl udiven nebo užasly nad možnostmi svého vlastního organismu, které byly předvedeny někým jiným. Povstal tedy subjektivní účin. Zde jest lidské tělo jediným prostředkem formujícím. Pro objektivní formování pohybu je tento prostředek omezen, a to tím více, isou-li příměšovány »cítové« (literární) prvky. Nedostačitelnost lidské »excentricity« vedla k požadavku formování a pohybové organi-sace, cvládatelné až do posledních jednotlivosti, která by byla syntesou dynamicky kontrastujících jevů (prostorových, tvarových, pohybových, zvukových a světelných). Mechanická excentričnost.

O. Schlemmer

Mofolgo-Nagx

### 3. Přišti divadlo: divadlo totality.

Každé formování má mimo všeobecné i své zvláštní předpoklady, od kterých musí vycházet při užívání svých prostředků. Divadelní formování se tedy očisti, prozkoumá-li se isoucnost jeho prostředků, tak často popíraných: lidského slova, lidského děje a scučasně možnosti jeho tvůrce, člověka.

Vznik HUDBY jako vědomého tvaru lze odvoditi od me-lodické recitace hrdinské pověsti. Když byl pochopen ten system, který dovoloval užívati zvuků jen v určitých interva-lech, a vyloučil tak zvané »hluky«, zůstalo vymezeno těmto hlukům místo v básnictví. To byla základní myšlenka, od kte-ré vyšli expresionističti, futurističti a dadaističti básnici a divadelní tvárvcové. Ale dnes, kdy rozšiřila své prostředky, že přijala všechny způsoby »hluků«, není již pro básnictví mono-polem toto smyslově-mechanické působení hlukových poměrů. Náleží — jako zvuky — v oblast hudby, stejně jako úloha malířství, t. i. barevného formování jest organisace primerního (apercepcionelního)*1 působení barevného. Timto způsobem projevil omyl futuristů, expresionistů a dadaistů a chyba všech

*) Apercepcionelní* kladu zde proti »associativnímu«, abych vyznačil elementární stupěn vnímati a tvoření pojmu (psychologického vnímatí). Na př. vnímati barvu = děj apercepcionelni. Lidské oko reaguje bez předcházejících zkušenosti na červeň nebo zeleň, modř nebo žluť atd. Vnímati předmět = barvu + látku + formu = členiti do známé zkušenosti = děj asociativní,

těch požadavků, které byly zbudovány na tomto základě (na př. JEN mechanická excentričnost).

Jest však třeba konstatovat, že tato hnutí protilehlá ideálmá literárně ilustrativního pojímání, přivedla kupředivadelní formování, právě proto, že byla tak protilehlá. Bylo jim zrušena nadvláda logických myšlenkových hodnot. Bylo-li tato nadvláda jednou zlomena, tu nebylo již příčiny, aby byly vylučována s jeviště asociativní spojení a řeč lidská, a člověk sám ve své totalitě jako prostředek tvárný. Ovšem není již více centrálním, jako v tradičním divadle, ale lze jej užiti VEDLE OSTATNÍCH TVÁRNÝCH PROSTŘEDKŮ jako rovnocenného činitele.

Člověk, jako nejaktivnější zjev života, náleži nepopíratelně k nejúčinnějším prvkům dynamického (jevištínho) ztvářňování a tím je funkčně opodstatněno jeho užiti v totalitě, jeho jednání, řeči a myšlení. Svým rozumem, svou dialektikou, svým přizpůsobením každé situaci, ovládnutím svých tělesných a duševních schopností, jest určen — užit v akční koncentraci — ke ztvářňování těchto síl.

A nedávalo-li by jeviště úplnou možnost rozvíti jich, bylo by nutno místo něj vynalézti jiné místo ku ztvarňování jich. —

Ale toto užiti člověka je třeba naprosto odlišit od jeho dosavadního vystupování na jevišti. Zatím co tam byl pouze interpretem nejaké individuality, básnický pojaté — nebo ty-pem, bude v novém DIVADLE TOTALITY uživat duševních a tělesných prostředků, jež jsou v jeho moci, PRODUKTIVNÉ sám ze sebe a INITIATIVNÉ zařádi sebe do ztvarňovacího pochodu.

Zatím co ve středověku (a také ještě v přítomnosti) těžiště jevištínho formování bylo v představování rozličných typů (hrdina, harlekýn, sedlák atd.), úlohou BUDOUCIHO HERCE je přivěsti do akce to, co je všem lidem společné.

V csnově takového divadla NEmohou hráti prvni roli duchaplná, ojdínuud sem prěnesená kausální spojení. Usuzujeme-li na divadelním ztvarňování jako na UMĚLECKÉ DIŁO, je nutno se učit od toho způsobu pojímání, který platí pro výtvarné umělost:

Jako se není možna ptát, co znamená nebo představuje člověk (jako organismus), je také nepřípustno ptáti se tak před dnešním bezpředmětným obrazem, protože je to výtvor, tudiž také úplný organismus.

Dnešní obraz staví před nás rozličné vztahy barev a ploch, které jednak svým logicky vědomým předsevzetím problemu, by druhé svými (neanalysovatelnými) imponerabiliemi, svou tvůrči intuící působí jako umělecký tvar.

Stejně bude divadlo totality svými mnohými vztahovými komplexy světla, prostoru, roviny, tvaru, pohybu, zvuku, člověka — se všemi variacemi a kombinacemi těchto prvků — uměleckým tvarem: ORGANISMEM.

Nelze tedy, aby lidská účast v jevištním formování obtežovala moralistické tendenci, vědeckou nebo INDIVIDUALNÍ PROBLEMATIKOU. Člověk bude činný jen jako nositel prvků, které jsou přiměreny jeho organickým úinkcím.

Avšak jeamožrejmo, že také statnité prostředky jevištínho formování dosáhnou ve svém působení rovnocennosti s člověkem, který jako živoucí psychologický organismus, tvůrce neporovnatelných stupňování a bezpočetných obměny vyžádá sí vysoké úrovně spolutvůrčích činitelů.

### 4. Jak bude uskutečněno divadlo totality.

Jeden z názorů, které jsou ještě dnes důležity, pravi, že divadlo jest akční koncentrace zvuku, světla (barvy), prostoru, tvaru a pohybu. Zde není ještě člověk činný jako spolučinitel, protože dnes lze vyrobiti mohem dokonaleji aparátý, které mehou prověsti jen mechaničkou úlohu člověka lépe, než člověk sám.

Druhý, širší názor nevzdává se člověka iako obdivuhodného nástroje, ačkoli nikdo v poslední době nezročěší úlohu, jak použiti člověka na jevišti jako tvárného činitele.

Ale je možno vněsti lidské logické funkce v jeviště dnešní akční koncentrace bez nebezpečí, že propadneme na podobování skutečnosti nebo dadaismu či charakteru času. Merz, který se šáni a slepuje se všech stran náhodnosti, býv i tyto vypadají uspořádány?

Výtvarná umění nalezla čisté prostředky své staby, primérní barevné, hmotné, materiálové a jiné vztahy. Ale jak lze

THE PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS
OF YALE UNIVERSITY
AND
THE ASSOCIATES IN FINE ARTS
INVITE YOU TO
THE OPENING RECEPTION OF
AN EXHIBITION OF THE COLLECTION OF
THE SOCIÉTÉ ANONYME
MUSEUM OF MODERN ART: 1920
THE GIFT OF
KATHERINE S. DREIER AND MARCEL DUCHAMP
TRUSTEES FOR THE COLLECTION
AT THE
YALE UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY
ON TUESDAY EVENING JANUARY 13, 1942
FROM NINE TO ELEVEN O'CLOCK