De Stijl Exhibitions

Modernism · c. 1917–1931

Pure abstraction, universal harmony

A Dutch movement seeking to reduce art to its irreducible elements: the straight line, the right angle, and the three primary colours plus black, white, and grey. Mondrian, van Doesburg, and Rietveld believed that pure abstraction could express a universal harmony beyond individual expression. Their influence on graphic design, architecture, and typography continues to this day.