In the Studio

El Lissitzky Russian

Not on view

El Lissitzky's somersaulting multiple exposure of himself and several friends in his studio was made in 1923, probably when he was living in Hannover at the invitation of Kurt Schwitters. The fantastic intermingling of bodies suggests the free-spirited nature of the Russian artist's explorations and is a particularly apt expression of his vision of a "world floating in space." In accordance with Lissitzky's utopian belief that art would free the modern world from conventional tethers, the photograph can be read from any direction.

In the Studio, El Lissitzky (Russian, Pochinok 1890–1941 Moscow), Gelatin silver print

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