Concrete art

Concrete art or concretism is an artistic movement that emerged in Europe in the early 20th century, characterized by the creation of purely abstract works of art, with no reference to external reality. This trend originated with the manifesto written by Theo van Doesburg in 1930, who proposed the elimination of all forms of figurative representation in favor of geometric compositions and pure colors. Van Doesburg, one of the founders of the De Stijl movement, was influenced by Neoplasticism and Russian Constructivism, especially by artists like Kazimir Malevich and El Lissitzky.

Concretism was consolidated with the group Abstraction-Création in Paris, which brought together artists of various nationalities committed to geometric abstraction. This movement significantly influenced the development of kinetic art and pop art during the 1950s and 1960s. Among the most representative artists of concrete art are Max Bill, Richard Paul Lohse, and Josef Albers, whose works are characterized by a rigorous geometric structure and meticulous use of color.

Max Bill, one of the pioneers of concretism, was a Swiss architect, painter, and sculptor who contributed to the spread of concrete art through his work and teaching at the Ulm School (Hochschule für Gestaltung). Richard Paul Lohse, for his part, developed a body of work based on the repetition and variation of geometric elements, creating visually dynamic and balanced compositions. Josef Albers, known for his series "Homage to the Square," explored the interaction of colors and their perceptual effects on the viewer.

The concrete movement also left its mark in Latin America, where artists like Waldemar Cordeiro in Brazil and Tomás Maldonado in Argentina adopted and adapted its principles. These artists contributed to the creation of a visual language that fused geometric abstraction with the social and political concerns of the region. Concretism in Latin America manifested in movements like the Ruptura Group in Brazil and the Madí movement in Argentina, which explored new possibilities in the relationship between art and society.