Western Art - Synchromism - An American Twist to Pure Abstraction

Synchromism - The Concept
Synchromism, often wrongly spelt as Synchronism, was an American art movement founded in the year 1912-13. Co-founded by Abstractionists Morgan Russell (1886-1953) and Stanton MacDonald-Wright, this purely abstract style was the first to bring America on the international stage of Fine Arts. It is easy to draw a parallel between Synchromism and its Contemporary Art form Orphism, which was essentially a trend or specialization in the Cubist Art that placed a premium on the understanding and the use of colors. Orphism was considered the crucial piece leading to the evolution of Abstract Art from Cubism. The body of works in Orphism was related to the Greek God Orpheus, who represented music, fine arts, and the musical instrument lyre. Synchromism never restricted itself to a particular subject or a group of subjects. Nevertheless, in techniques and forms it remained similar to Orphism.

The Details
The underlying philosophy of Synchromism is to identify and recreate the colors symmetry, which is considered a similar phenomenon as the harmonization of musical symphonies. The co-founders argued that juxtaposed or lyrically arranged, colors are capable of conveying the message just as the finely orchestrated musical notes. Therefore, the 'early' paintings in Synchromism tend to reduce the use of blended shades, flowing tones, and hues. However, as the trend moved towards complexity in the later stages, such elements began forming a part of Synchromism.

The Artists and the Artworks
Morgan Russell (1886-1953) believed that the base sculptural designs can form the basis of two-dimensional painted representations. Such mutation is achievable through the interplay of various color tones, where rhythmic color patterns are used to compose an aesthetic abstract imagery. His 1913-14 oil work 'Cosmic Synchromy' is a magnificent 41.28 X 33.34 cm piece, executed in red, green, blue, yellow, and purple. This work is an embodiment of the various forms of the cosmic energies, as they interact and overlap with each other in the atmosphere. Another significant painting by Russell was 'Synchromy in Green,' dated 1913, which was exhibited at 'Salon Des Independants' as the first major work of its genre.

Virginia-born Stanton MacDonald-Wright (1890-1973) propounded the idea that strategically placed colors and patterns can be used to enhance human sensitivity and evoke various emotions. His magnum opus, 'Airplane Synchromy in Yellow-Orange' (1920) was an oil-on-canvas painting, featuring a complex design in primary colors (red, blue, and yellow). Some of the other leading artists associated with Synchronism were Andrew Dasburg (1887-1979), Diego Rivera (1886-1957), Patrick Henry Bruce (1881-1936), and Thomas Hart Benton (1782-1858).

Conclusion
Though often confused with Orphism, Synchromism discovered its own identity with time. In their joint statement at the Neue Kunstsalon in Munich (June 1913), Russell and Wright termed Synchromism as, "....the only possible version of reality capable of expressing the totality of different qualities applicable exclusively to painting.'

Source : Ezinearticles