Page 22 - Studio International - June 1972

Between Dada these works is, however, often inconsistent; Correspondence
in some works, in fact, it seems to be designed
and primarily to improve the eddying effect; from
about 192o on his work becomes deliberately
two-dimensional.
Constructivism From 1922 on Ella Bergmann explored the
relation between colour and light. One of her
methods involved integrating sequences of
spectral colours (from physics textbooks) into
geometric compositions. Her approach to
superimposition and spatial organization was
influenced by an interest in film that led to her
making some documentaries later on.
Ella Bergmann and Robert Michel met at
Weimar Art School where he had enrolled after
a crash put an end to his work at an aviation
research establishment in 1916. When Gropius
arrived they were soon on friendly terms. Yet
Michel's engineer's mind did not fit in with the
prevailing mysticism of the Ur-Bauhaus. In his
opening manifesto Gropius invoked the spirit
of the medieval teams of artisans which had
built all the great cathedrals; industrial design
was frowned upon by the many whose views
were closer to Ruskin; Itten instituted a pretty
radical kind of macrobiotics at the canteen; the
early output of objects can hardly be called
functional; Schreyer started a religious-
experience drama group; Klee, Kandinsky,
Feininger were busy doing their thing; Moholy
was not to appear for several years; the Dutch
and the Russians had not yet made their
influence felt; the faculty sported a crystal
gazer to help decide which particular craft a
Robert Michel
The Black Opa-Yale 1927 student should be directed to. In 1920, the
couple left Weimar and moved to a village near
[A retrospective of the work of Ella Bergmann Frankfurt.
and Robert Michel (1917-1966) is at Annely Robert Michel's collages are now firmer Tons of ideas-no bread
Juda Fine Art, 11 Tottenham Mews, off structures and have much in common with Would it be too prepossessing of me to ask
Charlotte Street, London WI, May-June 3o engineering drawings. Machinery components where the artists in Studio International are ?
1972.] (and sometimes representations of numbers) I agree that the magazine provides a modicum
are combined into geometric compositions. He of restoration within the field of modernism but
Ella Bergmann's and Robert Michel's work shares with Picalbia a preoccupation with the field appears to be somewhat cluttered. I
provides a junction between Dada and machinery and an ironical approach, but arrives won't entail a collection of sophisms
Constructivism, and in this respect they can be at rather different results. Picabia invents concerning the merits of the magazine, of that
compared to Sophie Täuber and Jean Arp. imaginary devices; based on context, his irony only the artists represented can be held
Both were deeply involved in the development relies on the improbability of his suggestions responsible for. The magazine is delightful,
of collage from 19I7 on, and the remarkable and on juxtaposition with elements of a totally what of the artists ?
degree of control that they achieve in most of different nature. Many enticing theories have been coined
their works reflects some hard thinking about By contrast, Michel's irony is developed in the dénouement of modernism after the
the approach to collage as well as a great deal of from within, a matter of syntactic conflicts passing of the schools of art (Cubism,
painstaking research into techniques. arising between elements of the same nature. Constructivism etc.) and can be spotted by any
In her early ink drawings Ella Bergmann His mechanics are warped, and as you're trying conscientious reader in the spaces left blank in
experimented with the organization of abstract to read the design you are foiled by some odd the encyclopaedias of modern art after the war.
forms in space (Pyramidenspiele 1917 brings twist or ambiguous tautology. There is a Basically, the field has expanded to include the
to mind some of Lissitzky's later figures for concern with the graphic terminology of free expression of the individual spirit under its
Victory over the Sun), and this concern is engineering, hints at technological puns, a various guises probably exposed by Picasso my
equally evident in the collages, mostly rather functionalism that queries its premises. friend, in word only, when he made that
graphic works with a lot of printed matter and With Picabia, the irony is in the memorable statement: 'there are now no
lettering (also offering impish comments on inconsistency of the image with the world (a schools of art, only individual painters.' The
current affairs and the latest art theories —in fact that he himself delights in introducing into resultant range of expression has been noted by
1919). the image by juxtaposing another element). all. So after a little bandying about at the horse
Robert Michel combined circles, discs and With Michel, the irony is in the inconsistency trials, the dressage is over; what have we left ?-
diagonal lines with wheels, propellers, screws, of the image with itself. These can be seen as A MESS.
lettering, figures and scores into collages that two different positions in the old wrangle about I have read over a few years (I'm not very
give a futurist impression of giant cogwheels in form and content. D old) the various raids into cul-de-sacs by
rhythmic movement. His treatment of space in SCHULDT hundreds of individuals who have broken faith

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