Modernism and Harlem Renaissance The Modernist Movement

Modernism during the early part of the 20th century was a recognition of power in the human heart and mind ot make, improve, and reshape the environment (History of Visual Communication, 2012). This reshaping process was made possible with the assistance of science, technology, and experimentation. In addition to the political and cultural implications of this recognition, this reshaping process also manifested itself in the artistic movements of Western society. Particularly, it was a movement that encompassed European-born art and culture, while at the same time attempting to create something alternative, new, and indeed "modern" in response to the artistic and cultural movements that have prevailed to date. The movement embraced change and the present in rebellion against the academic and historicist traditions of the late 19th century. Instead, the movement sought to embrace the new economic, social, and political realities of the world it felt changing around itself. Change and the present were the most important components of the movement.

Indicative of the new movement was also new forms of art, such as the posters created by Adolphe Mouron Cassandre. He was a Ukrainian-French painter and commercial poster artist. Once he was successful in his work, Cassandre created an advertising agency, Alliance Graphique.

True to the spirit of the Modernist movement, Cassandre was one...

His creations for the Dubonnet wine company were among the posters he created with this in mind. This is one of the ways in which the changing technological environment influenced the artistic effort of the time. In addition, Cassandre's posters exemplified the way in which artists considered themselves able to change their environment and the work they chose to represent it.
In addition to this special quality, Cassandre's posters also displayed innovative graphic solutions. The influence of painters such as Max Ernst and Pablo Picasso, themselves pioneers of their time, could frequently be seen in his work. In the spirit of sharing his talent and inspiring others to unlock their own inner artist, Cassandre also taught graphic design at the Ecole des Arts Decoratifs and the Ecole d'Art Graphique.

Typography was also an important component of poster design, and Cassandre's company created many new typeface styles to use on their posters. Some of these include

Bifur, created in 1929, sans serif Acier Noir, created in 1935, and Peignot, an all-purpose font created in 1937. In recognition of his artistic prowess and representative of the Modernist movement, Cassandre's work was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City in 1936. This brought more good fortune, in the form of commissions from Harper's Bazaar to create cover…