De Stijl Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

Modern art in daily life

This composition with the primary colours, red, yellow and blue and the three primary values, black, white, and grey is related to the abstractions of artist like Piet Mondriaan, Bart van der Leck en Piet Doesburg, members of “De Stijl”.

I found this artwork in the harbour of Amsterdam

In general, De Stijl proposed ultimate simplicity and abstraction, both in architecture and painting, by using only straight horizontal and vertical lines and rectangular forms. Furthermore, their formal vocabulary was limited to the primary colours, red, yellow, and blue, and the three primary values, black, white, and grey. The works avoided symmetry and attained aesthetic balance by the use of opposition. This element of the movement embodies the second meaning of stijl: “a post, jamb or support”; this is best exemplified by the construction of crossing joints, most commonly seen in carpentry.
De Stijl movement was influenced by Cubist painting as well as by the mysticism and the ideas about "ideal" geometric forms (such as the "perfect straight line") in the neoplatonic philosophy of mathematician M.H.J. Schoenmaekers. The works of De Stijl would influence the Bauhaus style and the international style of architecture as well as clothing and interior design. However, it did not follow the general guidelines of an “ism” (Cubism, Futurism, Surrealism), nor did it adhere to the principles of art schools like Bauhaus; it was a collective project, a joint enterprise.

bakes888, Gerrit, ChrisJ, dip, UlfE, feather, Cretense, leonorkuhn, belido, stego, axiotea, jafadabret, Tue has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

bakes888 (18129) 2009-06-26 13:51

Hi Rob. Nice industrial strength art! Well spotted and captured. Wonderful graphic quality with well saturated colours and strong shapes. Thanks for sharing.
Have a good weekend, Paul.

Gerrit (35593) 2009-06-26 14:03

Hoi Rob,
de kraan in primaire kleuren is al heel bijzonder maar de twee groene maken er helemaal een geweldig plaatje van.

Groeten Gerrit

ptibelo (2960) 2009-06-26 14:21

Très surprenantes toutes ces couleurs ...des jouets grandeur nature.
Bien vu.
Jean-marie

jonathan_hart (22570) 2009-06-26 15:22

amazing green in bottom right
the colors are all well contrasted and it's simple & efficient
like modern art
jc

ChrisJ (70065) 2009-06-26 21:30

Hi Rob

Good graphism & superb colour contrasts. Well composed. with excellent sharpness. The functional cranes have become an art statement in this image. Tfs!

dip (12538) 2009-06-26 22:04

A gigantic art work!
wonderful and colorful composition Rob,
excellent seen and composed,
Greetings,
Dimitris.

UlfE (8941) 2009-06-26 22:39

Hi Rob,

You really keep your eyes open for modern art in daily life. Here you make excellent use of what the different elements. Your POV is really well chosen and the result amazing. A real inspiration for me. I have to keep my eyes open for scenes like this as well. TFS and have a nice weekend!

Cheers,

Ulf

feather (49858) 2009-06-27 3:42

I think I'm being a bit stupid. Are you likening this crane to modern art or is it fact an art installation? The way it is painted looks artistic but presumably it has a function in a harbour. Sorry - I'm a Philistine.
Kath

Morac (20255) 2009-06-27 4:50

Bonjour Rob,
C'est une composition un peu "naïve" mais bien composée, graphique et coloriée
Amicalement
Marc

Cretense (55754) 2009-06-28 1:47

Hello Rob!

Great pun with the title. Impressive scenery, it looks, indeed, like a modern art painting, great composition and framing, great "play" with lines and shapes! Excellent light managment, brilliant colours! congratulations!

Hercules

leonorkuhn (13513) 2009-06-28 9:02

Hi Rob,

You give us another art lesson.
Excellent composition, great colors and sharpness.

Have a nice week
Leonor

aadilj (17950) 2009-06-28 22:25

Hi rob, the colours amke it all so inteersting and such a wonderful work of art. it is indeed lovely and very striking

belido (16331) 2009-06-30 4:39

Olá Rob,

interesting artwork. There is a nice play between the colors. This must cost a lot for the artist. I like how you framed and the natural colors/bright. Well done!
Regards,
Carlos

stego (22350) 2009-07-02 10:51

Dag Rob,
A great photo accompanied with and educative note, both make an interesting little lesson on Art. Is this a "pure" artwork, that is, hasn't it any industrial use also? In any case, it is a very curious and visually attractive piece and you used it cleverly to get a great compo.
Groet,
José

axiotea (16053) 2009-07-06 11:08

Hello Rob
What have attracted me already from the thumbnails are the green lines on the black tent which stands out superbly against the sky...with the 'crane' next to it, they created an interesting form of Art to look at!
The light is great too!
Cheers
Marilyn

mafegan (4117) 2009-07-08 4:10

Hello rob
A great capture of modern art amongst daily life - and the colours are brilliant and primary. Well seen and well captured. Tfs, Marlene

jafadabret (39417) 2009-07-13 7:31

Bonjour Rob.
J'aime cette façon de faire une photo à la manière des peintres. Ici c'est une véritable leçon sur la composition et le choix des couleurs.
Bravo !
Amicalement
Jacques

pablominto (40456) 2009-07-14 2:02

Hello Rob,

Quite ordinary industrial elements combined into a colourful presentation to please my eyes!
Interesting lines and angles...
Well seen well framed!

Greetings,
Pablo -

alainh (35359) 2009-07-21 20:39

hello Rob
good observation !! it seems a play-mobiols for child !!! the colours are top. a nice job
friendly, Rob
alain

Tue (25608) 2009-08-18 12:53

Hi Rob,
Daar lag een aardig hoge berg waar de twee felgroene kranen mooi inpasten. De grotere kraan rechts staat er imposant naast. Een foto vol aansprekende kleuren.
Groeten,
Lars

marietom (31800) 2009-09-05 7:03

hello Rob,

scène colorée et inhabituelle. J'aime bien.
Bonne journée
Marie

westcoastgirl1 (1035) 2009-10-08 13:45

Hi Rob

The colours are magnificant. Great eye spotting this. I like the strength that this exudes.

Fantanstic job,
Tosca