Theo van Doesburg
Paintings, Drawings, Photographs and Architectural Drawings
October 14 – November 08, 1947
Theo Van Doesburg-"I.K. Bonset"-"Aldo Camini"
1883- Born August 30, Utrecht, Holland. School in Holland. In early years ambition was "to become an actor."
1899- First paintings.
1902- Began to write fables suggested by his dreams and pieces for the theatre.
1908- First one-man exhibition in The Hague.
1912- Articles on Asiatic art, modern art, cubism, futurism, and Kandinsky.
1913- Published his first collection of poems "Volle Maan" and started researches towards the unification of pure painting and architecture. Projects: lectures; articles.
1914- Mobilized; wrote his "Die Stem Uit De Diepte."
1916- First collaboration with the architects Oud and Wils. Founded the DE STIJL group and the review of the same name which appeared in October. Composed a series of poems using only two or three words.
1917- Designed pavements, wallpaintings and stained glass windows for the Vacantiehuis at Noordwijkerhout built by the architect Oud. Painted Card Players.
1918- Project for a monument in reinforced concrete which as cited for its "architectural qualities" by a jury of well-known architects and engineers including Berlage. DeBazel, Holsboer and others. Collaborated with several architects of DE STIJL group on different undertakings. In November DE STIJL manifesto issued; signed by all members except Van der Leck.
1920- Began construction of laborers' houses and schools in collaboration with the architect de Boer at Dragten, Holland. Set out on a journey to spread DE STIJL ideas through central Europe. Met the architects Gropius Adolph Meyer, Erich Mendelsohn, Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, and others.
1921- Weimer and Berlin. Edition of review DE STIJL published in Germany. Foundation of a group at Weimer: courses and lectures; effort to develop the fundamental spirit of a new style. Edited the publication of a Dada magazine MECANO in collaboration with Arp, Tzara, Ribermont-Dessaignes, Schwitters, Hausmann, etc.
1922- Dada tour throughout Holland and to Hanover with Kurt Schwitters, Petro van Doesburg at piano. Van Doesburg lectured on Dada movement, both he and Schwitters read poems. Joined in Hanover by Tzara, Arp, and Raoul Hausmann.
1923- Paris. Invited by Leonce Rosenberg to organize an exhibition of the Galerie De L'Effort Moderne of the architecture and painting of the DE STIJL group.
1924- Studies and first project for a city of circulation (a viaduct city). Exhibition at the "Special School of Architecture," Paris. Lectures on the DE STIJL movement in Prague, Vienna, and Brno, Czechoslovakia.
1925- Exhibition of architecture, Nancy France.
1926- Published Manifesto on Elementarism in DE STIJL, no. 75/76. Undertook entire internal architectural reconstruction of the caberet L' Aubette, Strasbourg, commissioned by Horn, painting in collaboration with Hans Arp, Sophie Taeuber Arp. The work throughout was done on strict DE STIJL principles, all save the facade attempt at plastic unity in a building. Reconstructed a shop in Strasbourg Maison Meyer, Rue de Vieux March?-aux-Poissons. Made over an apartment in reinforced concrete and rabitz.
1929-1930- Paris. Designed own house at Meudon-val-Fleury, near Paris, which was still uncompleted at his death. Lectures on architecture, Madrid and Barcelona. Edited review "Art Concret" in collaboration with Carlsund, Tutundjian, Helion.
1931- January: first meeting for the foundation of Abstraction-Creation group in Doesburg's studio at Meudon.
1931- Died, March 7, in Davos, Switzerland.
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