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MODULE 7 - GRAPHIC DESIGN 1930 to 1970

 MODULE 7 - Reflecting on Chapters 16 & 17 - 1930 to 1970 - Photoplasty

This week I'm focusing my attention on the art of photoplastics, which was developed by László Moholy-Nagy. 

Kicken Berlin - 1925 - László Moholy-Nagy
https://www.artbasel.com/catalog/artwork/40002/László-Moholy-Nagy-Photoplastics
László Moholy-Nagy was a Hungarian artist who's work ranged from 1923 to 1946. His work was highly influenced by constructivism, which strived to include technology in art. He may have been influenced by the Berlin Dada movement and it's creation of photomantages when he developed photoplastics or photoplasty (Meggs 2016).
According to McBride (2016) photoplasty is the "combination and interconnection of various graphic and other design elements with photographic works". Photoplastics definitely has a resemblance to the photomontages of the Berlin Dada movement. Moholoy-Nagy's photoplasty's black and white creations created a dynamic visual to a period of drastically changing art of the time. 

The Law of Series - 1925 - László Moholy-Nagy
https://www.moma.org/collection/works/54364?sov_referrer=art_term&art_term_slug=photomontage
Moholy-Nagy's sense to pull photographs from various sources into one application to create unity is inspiring. And although is has the sense of the traditional collage, the uniform color and placement creates a sense of integration that isn't typically seen in collages. These photoplastics lead to more inspiration for advertising and graphic design of today's modern art world, and we can thank Moholy-Nagy's inventiveness and curiosity of using scientific tools to create this new artistic method.

László Moholy-Nagy
https://www.dezeen.com/2018/12/11/laszlo-moholy-nagy-new-bauhaus-movie-interview-alysa-nahmias/

McBride, P.C., 2016. The Chatter of the Visible: Montage and Narrative in Weimar Germany. University of Michigan Press.

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