Tom Sandqvist Livres

Sonia Delaunay is one of the most important artists of the early twentieth century, whose contribution to European Modernism was fundamental, if not always fully acknowledged in its own right. She is known for translating her experiments via painting into the realm of fashion, interior design and crafts and, thus, consciously transcending the boundaries between fine and applied art. The focus within mainstream art history has been her relationship with her husband Robert Delaunay. Tom Sandqvist shifts this focus on her Jewish roots and sheds a light on the influence of growing up in the typical Eastern European shtetl, which has not attracted any special attention in the analysis of Delaunay’s art. Tom Sandqvist reflects on the impact of Judaism on Sonia Delaunay’s œuvre, with a special focus on her early contributions to Simultanism and Orphism within the interwar Parisian Avant-Garde.

This survey asks a seemingly simple question: Is there an affinity between the emergence of modern art and various Avant-Garde movements such as Russian Suprematism and Polish or Hungarian Constructivism around about the turn of the last century and the process of Jewish assimilation in the Habsburg empire and Russian tsardom respectively? What about the possible connection between «Hebraism», Jewish Messianism, Talmudic philosophy, and Kabbalistic speculations and the most radical, Utopian Avant-Garde movements of the region? Was Russian Cubo-Futurism, Suprematism, Productivism, Polish and Hungarian Constructivism actually fostered by ideas and practices articulated in Eastern Jewry? And what was the impact of Anti-Semitism on how the artists related to stylistic purity and their own cultural identity in the region already prior to the emergence of Avant-Gardism? And how did the supposed biblical ban on «graven images» influence the approach of the Jewish artists?

This book explores Modernism and Avant-Garde movements in Central and Eastern European art around the turn of the last century, presenting a surreal and bewildering landscape. It offers a nuanced perspective on the complex avant-garde scene in Eastern Europe, featuring dark soirées, scandalous dada performances, and fervent debates among reformers. The tension between subjectivity and rationality, as well as ethnonationalism and internationalism, is highlighted. Various movements, such as Yugoslavian zenitism, Czech poetism, and Hungarian activism, emerge in enthusiastic bursts through ephemeral magazines. The narrative is fast-paced, showcasing the immense commitment and influence of strong-willed individuals. This fresh perspective positions Eastern Europe not as a passive recipient but as an active contributor to ideological discourse. The audience's remarkable tolerance before and after World War I suggests that genius was widely accepted. Key figures like Karel Teige, Ljubomir Micić, Lajos Kassák, and Jacek Malczewski championed avant-garde art while also embracing nostalgic messianism. The author posits that subjectivity served as a defense mechanism for these artists against a repressive society and the destructive socio-economic forces of their time.