Vorticism was a short-lived British avant-garde art movement founded in 1914 by the artist and writer Wyndham Lewis. As Britain's unique contribution to the wave of European modernism, it sought to create an art form that could express the dynamic energy of the modern, machine-driven world. The movement's name was coined by the American poet Ezra Pound, who, along with Lewis, was a central figure. They promoted their aggressive artistic and social views through their provocative journal, BLAST, which was known for its shocking pink cover and bold typography.
Vorticism's style combined the fragmented geometric planes of Cubism with the dynamism of Italian Futurism, but with an important philosophical difference. While the Futurists celebrated the constant sensation of motion and speed, the Vorticists aimed to capture the still, concentrated point of energy at the center of a whirlwind; the "vortex." Their art was not about flux, but about capturing a moment of organized, contained force. This resulted in a hard-edged, angular, and highly abstract style that often depicted machine-like forms and urban scenes rendered with sharp lines.
The movement was international in its makeup but centered in London. It included painters, sculptors like Jacob Epstein and Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, and photographers. Vorticism was abruptly cut short by the outbreak of World War I in 1914. The brutal reality of mechanized warfare tempered the group's initial enthusiasm for the machine age, and the death of key members like Gaudier-Brzeska in the conflict led to the movement's dissolution around 1917. Though brief, Vorticism was an influential movement that marked a decisive break from the artistic traditions of the Victorian era in Britain.
Purpose[]
Vorticism's purpose was for Wyndham to share the abstract art of other artists. This art was shared in museums and was also shown in BLAST magazine. There were eleven participants in this. Their names were:
- Richard Aldington
- Malcolm Arbuthnot
- Lawrence Atkinson
- Jessica Dismorr
- Henri Gaudier-Brzeska
- Cuthbert Hamilton
- Wyndham Lewis
- Ezra Pound
- William Roberts
- Helen Saunders
- Edward Wadsworth
These artists got together to share their art with the world. Although this did not last long, they were congratulated for going outside the box with their creations.
Gallery[]
