THESE ANTITHESE SYNTHESE

These, Antithese, Synthese – reconstructed presents, for the first time since the legendary exhibition of 1935, all the works that were shown in the Kunstmuseum Luzern against the backdrop of an increasingly totalitarian Europe. The fantastic project aimed to define a new, abstract, non-elitist art that was for everyone. In 1935, most of the works came directly from the artists’ studios; today, they hang in highly regarded collections across the world. Some were destroyed, others are missing. What were the conditions that led to that exhibition? Who selected the artists? Why were female artists not among them? And what has remained of modernism’s promises for a better life? This publication brings together historical images, reviews of the time, and the provenance of the artworks. It also analyses the historical context of the Kunstmuseum Luzern. The facsimile of the exhibition catalogue designed by Jan Tschichold conveys the visionary graphic design of 1935: Tschichold established new means of expression that continue to inspire today.