Composition c. 1927

Editor: So, this gelatin silver print, "Composition" by Jaromír Funke, circa 1927... It's intriguing, a very geometric, almost architectural feel, but also quite stark. What's your take on it? Curator: Well, considering its socio-political context, photography of this type served multiple purposes. The clean lines and industrial feel are partly a reflection of the machine age, which promoted functionalist Bauhaus ideals. These experimental photos helped construct an image of progress but it also had another public function: it proposed a 'new vision' of everyday things through art. The avant-garde Constructivist movement, for example, favored abstraction. Editor: Constructivist? So it's about building…like societal construction? Curator: Precisely. These images were not just formal exercises, they subtly influenced popular culture and helped construct a modern, forward-thinking identity for nations. By abstracting common forms into something…aspirational… artists like Funke engaged in shaping cultural values through their artwork. The formal construction then acts like a social instruction. See how radical the act of reframing basic shapes becomes! Editor: That's fascinating! It wasn't just "art for art's sake," but a kind of soft power? Changing perception. Curator: Absolutely. It prompts the question of how abstract works impact our societal perception and understanding. Where do you think a piece like this might be shown to the public and what do they learn? Editor: Well, putting it in a museum certainly elevates it, gives it importance and legitimizes a specific understanding of abstraction…Thanks, it has made me think differently about art's purpose. Curator: Likewise. Analyzing this work reveals how artistic expression interacts with societal and political climates, a dance of shaping visual cultures.