The democratic principle in art

Richard Paul Lohse (1902–1988) grew up in Zurich and, following his father’s death, had to take on odd jobs from an early age to help support his family. He became a commercial artist and typographer, setting up his own graphic design practice in 1930. Together with his first and second wives, he supported the anti-fascist movement and engaged in sometimes dangerous activities on behalf of refugees and exiles. His commitment to social equality was reflected in his work, which was shaped by the conviction that aesthetics are inconceivable without social responsibility. “My works,” he explains, “attempt to provide a picture of how the structures of the world could be improved.”

Among Lohse’s most significant artistic influences are the Dutch De Stijl movement, Russian Constructivism and the Bauhaus. Lohse’s works from 1942 feature geometric, diagonal forms that appear to float freely in space. Following an exhibition of posters by Russian Constructivists, Lohse experienced a disillusionment regarding his work with the diagonal. He felt that he lacked the training, knowledge and skill to work with the diagonal form, which is why he turned his back on it and concentrated on the vertical form.  In this he finds moral grounding. The democratic principle and an anti-hierarchical society are of the utmost importance to him, both politically and in art. In 1943 he began work on modular and serial arrangements. In the modular arrangement, a basic module is multiplied and enlarged. Colours may be repeated several times within a single line. In the serial order, he arranges cyclical colour sequences of up to 30 colour gradations in a staggered pattern, ensuring that no colour appears twice vertically or horizontally. In the orthogonally structured picture fields, there is an equality of colour quantity and form. The most neutral form of all is the square with four sides of equal length. Despite the seriousness that underlies Lohse’s work and creative process, he remarks with a wink about his works: ‘My pictures can be described over the phone.’