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K e p e so b s e r v e di n 1 9 4 4 ,t w o y e a r sb e f o r ec o m i n gt o M . l T . :

" T o g r a s ps p a t i a rl e l a t i o nas n d o r i e n o
t n e s e l if n t h e m e t r o p o l ios f t o d a v. . r e q u t r e a s
n e w w a y o f s e e i n g . . I n e a c h a g e o f h u m a nh i s t o r ym a n w a s c o r n p e l l e d tosearch
f o r a t e m p o r a r ye q L r i l i b r i uim
n h i sc o n f l i c t sw r t hn a t L r raen d h i s r e l a l i o n sw i t ho t h e r
r n e n ,a n d t h u sc r e a t e d l h r o u g ha n o r g a n i z a t i oonf v i s u a il m a g e r ya, s y m b o l i co r d e r
o 1h r sp s y c h o l o g i c aaln d i n t e l l e c t u a e lx p e r i e n c e "sl

T h r o u g h o uht i s l i f eK e p e sh a s w o r k e da t m a i n t a i n i ntgh e p r e c a r i o u D s arance

b e t w e e np u b l i co b l r g a t i o nw, h i c hi r r c l u d e d
h i ss e n s eo f r e s p o n s i b i l ittoy t h e s c i e n c e
o f h i s t i n r e ,a n d t h e p e r s o n , i rl e a l r n .

T l r eg r o u n do f t h i sc o n t i n u i t oy f p e r s o n aal n d p u b l i ce x p r e s s i o n is Kepes's
p a s s i o r r a tdee v o t i o nt o v i s i i - , it-hre, " l a n g u a g eo f v i s i o n "a s a d i s c i p l r n o
e l l i v i n g a,
p a r a r j i g mf o r o u r w h o l er e s p o n s ea n d r e s p o n s i b i l i t oy t h e o u t e ra n d i n n e rw o r l d s ,
a p r o c e s so f i n t e r p r e t a t i om n ,o d e l - b u i l d i n gl e, a r n i n g

F r o r nt h e u n i o nm a d ew h e nm e n g r a s pn a l u r e K e p e s ' sa l m o s to b s e s s i v eg o a l ,a n d h i s s p e c i a cl o n t r i b u t i o nh,a s b e e nr n e
w i t ht h e i rs e n s e st h e r ei s s u c sr n o r et h a n r e c o g n r t r oann d d i s p l a yo 1t h e c o n t i n u i t i ebse t w e e na r t a n d s c i e n c e A. n d t h i s ,i n
hard-\,von knowledge- the legacyf rom
t u r n ,g r o w st r o mh i s n e e dl o n r a i n t a i a
nn de x p l r c a t e h i so w n j m m e d i a t e reiation with
f i s h c r r nne, h u n l e r sh, e r d s m e na n d f a r m e r s
t h e s e n s e dw o r l d ,a n d t o c o n v e yi t i n a l l p o s s i b l ef o r m so f v i s u a e
l xpression,
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q u a l i l i cos { h e a r tl h a te n a b l ep o e t sa n d a r t i s t s d y n a m i ca s w e l la s s t a t i c .
to spcalklor so manyof us when they
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q u a l i t i ctsh a th a v eg i v e ns c i e n c em o t i v a t i o n s c i e n c ew o u l dm e a nf i n d i n ga p e r s o n akl e y - - a w a y o f k e e p i n ga h o l do n s o c i a l
and gL.r)eralive power. i s s u e so f d i s r u p l i o na n d a l i e n a t i oonn t h e o n e h a n d ,a n d t h e c o n s t r u c t i vvea l u e so f
r a t r o n aul n d e r s t a n d i nagn d s e n s i b i l i toyn t h e o t h e r ,w i t h i no n e c o h e r e n dt i s c i p l i n e .
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o l f a r . o frfe g i o n so f t h o u g h ls, p a c ea n d t r m e ,
l - l eh a st r i e dt o b u i l da n e w p u b l i ca r t ,e x p r e s s i v o e f t h e r e a lc o n c e r n so f o u rl i m e ,
a r e\ / o f .wr i t h o utth e v i t a ln o u r i s h m e notf t h i s
i n c o r p o r a t i ntgh e i m a g e r ya n d t h e t o o l so f c u r r e n ts c i e n c ea n d t e c h n o l o g yH e
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centL]r-i..ts, it has ebbed away;and, quite
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g a m u t ,r n l a t t e ry e a r sh e h a s r e t u r n e dw i t hi n l e n s ec o m m r t m e nt o t p e r s o n a ll,y r i c a l
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p a i n t i n g sA. r e v i e wo f K e p e s ' sr o o l sa n d c o r r n e c t i o n lsh, e i n t e r s e c t i oonf h i s
b e c r ro v e rt l r o g ss s n l gc e n t u r i e tsh a ts c i e n c e a t t i t u d e sw i t h a r t i s t i cn ' r o v e m e r rot sf h i s f o r m a t i v ey e a r s ,m a y h e l p l o u n d e r s t a n d
a n i - : : i f il n, t e l l e catn d e r n o t i o nh, a v ec o m e t o t h e r o l eh e h a s p l a y e di n f u r t h e r i n g r e s p o n s e tso t h e v a l u e so f v i s L r aclu l t u r e .
be rr:,.,;rr ded as separateaspectsof lifewhose
rnLlll.rc,,)r)tacl wouidonlyendangerthe K e p e ss p e r i ll - r i se a r l yc l r i l d h o o di n t h e H u n g a r i a nc o u n t r y s i d ew h e r eh i s f a t h e r
s t t ' i r . r i la i t c cl l a r r l ;ori e a c h .
n l a n a g e cai l a r g ee s l a t e .H e c a r r i e dw i t hh i m i n t ol a t e ry e a r st h i sc o n n e c t i o n with
p e a s a n il i t ea r r dt h e l a n d - t h e c o l o r ,s t r e n g t hd, i g n i t ya n d b e a u t yo f p e a s a n t s '
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iI . . l 1i ' r r t c i l r \ ,i l r c o t h e r . I t o r n1 9 2 4- 1 9 2 8 ,a l e 1 i n ) e o f s o c i a l a n oa r l i s t i c{ e r m e n tS. t i l a l s l u d e r )at l i h e
/ ' \ c a d e n r yo { A r i , i r e b c c a n r ea i t i l i a i e dw i i h a g r o u l -or f c u l fu r a i l l va n d s ; o c i a l l y
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a d v a n c e dm o v e m e n t si n E u r o p ea n d R u s s i a ,t h e i rd e e p s o c i a lc o m m i t m e n t o a
r e s p o n s i v eo, b j e c t i v ea n d i n c l u s i v ea r t ,w e r e c o n s i s t e n w
t i t h K e p e s ' sd e v e l o p i n g
outlook.

A s K a s s a ka n d M o h o l y - N a g yh a d w r i t t e ni n t h e r e v o l u t i o n a rH y u n g a r i a nm a g a z i n
M A i n 1 9 2 2 ," T h i si s o u r c e n t u r y :t e c h n o l o g ym . a k ey o u r p e a r
, a c h i n e ,S o c i a l i s mM
w i t h i t . S h o u i d e ri t s t a s k . . . T h e a r t o f o u r t i m e h a s t o b e f u n d a m e n l a lp, r e c i s e ,
a b o v ea l l ,i n c l u s i v el.t i s t h e a r t o f C o n s t r u c t i v i s m . " 2

T h e C o n s t r u c t i v i s thsa d i n c o r p o r a t e di n t o a s o c i a l p r o g r a mt h e C u b i s ti d e at h a t
v i s i o nc o n s i s t so f r e l a t i o n s h i p sn:e w m e s s a g e si n r e l a t i o n s h i p
to newmeans,
n e w p e r s p e c t i v e sa; r e v o l u t i o no f u n i v e r s apl r i n c i p l e sa n d f u n d a m e n t aflo r m s ,
u n b u r d e n e db y l h e c u l l u r a lb a g g a g eo f t h e p a s t ,w i t h i t s t r a d i t i o n sa n d
a s s o c i a t i o n sB. u t K e p e s s o u g h tm o r e ," a n i n t e r c o n n e c t e d s e n s e ,t h e c o m m u n i t y
o f m a n a n d o b j e c t "t h a t h e f e l tt o b e p r e s e n ti n t h e f o l k a r t h e l o v e d :

" W e f e l t ,w i t h F r a n zM a r c ,t h a t ' t h e r e n e w a ls h o u l dn o t b ) es i m p l yf o r m a l ,b u t a r e b i r t
IRANSYLVANIAN P E A S A N TC H I L D R E N1 9 3 2 ,
photographby Gyorgy Kepes o f f e e l i n g .W' e c o u l dn o l b u t a g r e ew i t hK a n d i n s k yw h e n h e c o m p l a i n e d about'thr
t o t a ll o s so f a m u t u a lr e l a t i o n s h i pb e t w e e na r t a n d h u m a ns o c i e t y .A ' n o t eB e l a
B a r t o km a d e a t t h e e n d o f h i s l i f ew h i l el i v i n gi n A m e r i c a ,e x p r e s s e do u r o w n l o n g i n ,
'The
t o r a c e n t r a lc o r e o f v a l u e s : t i m e I d e v o t e dt o t h e c o l l e c t i o no f f o l ks o n g s
h a s b e e n t h e f i n e s tp a r t o f m y l i f e . . . f o r I w a s p e r m i t t e dt o w i t n e s st h e a r t i s t i c
m a n i f e s t a t i oonf a s t i l lh o m o g e n e o u sb u t e v i d e n t l yv a n i s h i n gs o c i a lo r d e r . " ' 3

K e p e s ' si d e aw a s n o tt o r e t u r nt o f o l ka r t a s s u c h ,b u t t o e m u l a t es o m eo f i t s q u a l i t i e s
i t s a c c e s s i b i l i t yi ,t s a p p l i c a b i l i t yi,t s r e f l e c t i o no f l t s m i l i e u .T r a d i t i o n apl a i n t i n gw a s
c r i t i c i z e db y s o m eS u p r e m a t i s t a s n d C o n s t r u c t i v i s tass " a r t i s t i cw o r k , "- a v e s t i g r
of romanticism w i t h i t s " s e l t - e x p r e s s i o na"n d l i m i t e da u d i e n c e ,n o n u t i l i t a r i ain i t s
i s o l a t i o nf r o m c o n t e m p o r a r yl i f e .P h o t o g r a p h ya n d f i l m w e r e c o n s i d e r e dm o d e r n ,
u r b a n ,t e c h n o l o g i c aal r l s d e t a c h e df r o mt r a d i t i o n aal r t i s t i cs t y l e sa n d c a p a b l eo f
r e a c h i n ga b r o a d e rp u b l i c .K e p e sf e l tt h e nt h a t p a i n t i n gw a s t o o a n e m i ca m e d i u m
f o r t a k i n ga s o c i a o l r p o l i t i c asl t a n d .

A r o u n d 1 9 2 8 - 2 9K , e p e sa n d s o m e o t h e rm e m b e r so f M u n k a ,a m o n gt h e m
H e g e d u s ,K o r n i s sT , r a u n e ra n d V a j d a ,g a v e u p p a i n t i n gt o p u r s u ep h o t o g r a p h y ,
p h o t o m o n t a g eo r p h o t o c o l l a g ea, n d f i l m a T h e D a d a p h o t o m o n t a g eos f H a n n a h
H o c h a n d R a o u lH a u s m a n n M , a x E r n s t ,a s w e l l a s E l L i s s i t z k y ' sd r a w i n ga n d
p h o t o c o l l a g eT a t l i na t W o r k( 1 9 1 7 )a n d T h e C o n s t r u c t o (r 1 9 2 4 ) ,a n d R o d c h e n k o ' s
p h o t o c o l l a g ei l l u s l r a t i o nos f s o m e e a r l yp u b l i c a t i o n so i M a y a k o v s k y 'ps o e m s ,a l l
h a d a n i m p a c to n K e p e sa n d h i s l r i e n d sa n d i n d i c a t e dt o t h e m n e w p o s s i b i l i t i e s .
U n e x p e c t e dj u x t a p o s i t i o nas f f o r d e db y p h o t o c o l l a g ee x p r e s s e dK e p e s ' sp o l i t i c a l
a n d s o c i a li n t e n t i o n si n h i s / n M e m o r yo f L , R . ( 1 9 2 9 ) ,a n h o m a g et o t h e p o l i t i c a l
m a r t y rR o s aL u x e m b u r g W i t h i na c h a r g e dg e o m e t r i c acl o n f i g u r a t i o tnh e
d i s i n t e g r a t e db o d y o f t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r yp,i c t u r e di n a p h o t o g r a p hc l i p p e df r o ma
m a g a z i n e ,i s j u x t a p o s e dw i t h a n u d e f i g u r e ,w h i l eb e l o w i s a p h o t o g r a p ho f a
m a c h i n ep a r t- t h e w h o l es e t a g a i n s ta h e a v i l yt e x t u r e de a r t h - c o l o r e b da c k g r o u n d .
)se K e p e se x h i b i t e dt h i sa n d o l h e f\ / o r k si r ra 1 9 2 9e x h i L ) i t i oonr g a r ) i z e b
dy t h e N e w
oa S o c i e t yo f V i s u a A l r t i s t st,f r eK U T ,i n B u d a p e s tF r o m1 9 3 6t h e r ei s a d r a w i n go f a
pi n g s e g r n e noI f b a r b e dw i r ec r u c i f y i n ga p i e c eo f b r e a d ,a n c Ja p h o t o m o n t a goef b r e a d
a n c il i g h l- ' - t a c l i i er e a l i t ya n d t r a n s o e n d e nslp e c t e r

azine K e p e s ' sp h o t o g r a m s t a r t i n gw i t hh i sw o r ki n B u d a p e s t o o kt h ej r s t a r t i n gp o i n tfr o m

peace n a t L l r eT.h e s ea r e d i r e c tr e c o r r l so f p r o c e s s e st a l ( e no n p h o t o s e t r s i t l z e sudrtaces,
w i t h o ua t c a m e r a T h e p h o t o g r a r nw, i t hi t s e s s e n t t a l layb s t r a c li m a g e ,l t e s
m e t a p h o r i c a l bl ye t w e e ns c i e n c ea n d p o e t r y i t i s a d e m a t en a l i z e dl i g h tr e c o r d i n go f
n a t u r apl r o c t : s s ehs a v i n gc l o s el i n k s w i t hK e p e s ' sl a t e ri n t e r e sitn s c i e n t i t i rce c o r d s
hat O n l ya fe w o f K e p e s ' sw o r k sf r o mt h i sp r : r i o ds u r v r v e d t h ew a r e r n chli sm c t n ym o v e si n
t h e 1 9 3 0 s b, u t t h ep h o t o c o l l a g et sh a td o e x i s t a , n c tJh e p h o t o g r a m p s r o d u c e di n t h i s
S,
I c r o u n t r ya,r e a r n o n gh i s b r : s tw o r k T h e p o l i t i c ailr n a g r : roy f t h e p h o t o c o l l a g e tsh, e
'r' s u b t l ea n c le x q r , r i s ipt el a y , r fl r g h t , l o r r na,n i . nJ r i l l i o ni t tt h e p h o t o g r a m sa, n d t h e k e e n
JnitY obscrvatioo n f d e t a i la n d s l r L t c t t l ri en t h e p h o t o g r a p h tsa k e nt o g et h e rr e p r e s e n t
nraioa r s p e c t so f h i sa r l i s l i cp e r s o n a r l i tsyo: c i a cl o n s c i o t t s n e s isn, l e r e sitn t h e f o r n r a l
q u a l i t i c so f l i g h ta r r di l o t o p o s t i o rar n, c ls e n s u o u s n e sosf s u r f a c e
rebirth.
'the,. D u r i n gh i s B u d a p e s p t e r i o d ,K e p e s ' sc o m m i t m e ntto s o c i a lc h a n g el l a d o t h e r
ut i
rla ,: a v e p u e sa s w e l l H e w a s a r n e r r l b eorf a g r o u p ,a " w o r k i n gc h o r u s , "t h a tt o t t r e d
ongingl s f L a j o sK a s s a ku, r l d e rt h c l c a d e r srfi po f K a s s a k ' w
l a c t o r i e sr e c i l i n gt h e p o e r t r o s ife,
S' H U N G A R I AP
NA Si c 1 9 3 7 ,p n o r o . l r a n r . i o l a nS i r n o nO . n c o f t h c m ," T i r eB u i l d e r s (" 1 9 1 7 )a s K e p e sv a g u e l yr e o a l l si t ,
tc i n c l u d c ct lh el i n e t s" ,W e a r en o ts c i e n t i s t sn,o rd r e a m i n gp r i e s t sr, r o rn l i l i t a rryr l e nW
. e
l a r e b u i l d e r sW e a r e t h e h e r o e so f t l r eF u t u r e . T " h i sw a s m a t t e r i af ol r a n e w a r t o f t h e
H a s n o t o u r c o n o c r n l o r t h e c f fi c i e n c y o l t h e
..; p c o p l e ,a k i n do f u r b a nc o n t e m p o r a r"yf o l k "a r t .
d e t a i l e d t o t h e n e g l c r cot f t h o e f fi c i en c y o f l f r c
ralitiesl m o s t i m p o r t a n td e s i q n , i l r c d c s i g n o f m a n t i : :
19vvas - a n l n d i v i d u a la n d i i s a r r r eT n b c ro f
sociely,l D u r i r r gl l t e l a t e 1 9 2 0 sa n r le a r l y3 0 s l ( e p e s w a r r t e calb, o v ea l l ,t o m a k ea f i l n t H . esaw
vestige.i I t i s a b r u t a l p a r a c l c t xo f
o L . tar g o t f ) a t b y i n f i l m ,a s h e l a t e rw r o t eitn L - a n g l L t a o g feV i s i o n ,a v i t a ln - r e d i L rfm o r s o c i i t lb e l i e sf
a o n c e n t r a t i n ga l l e f l ( ) ft : j o n A t t h e l i r n e ,h e v i e w ed f i l r na s a n a r t r s l i ci d i o mi n w h i c ht o e x p r e s sh i s l c l v el o r
n i n i t s' n t a l en a l p r o c J r r c l s
t h e v e r y h e a r to f a l l l t t c : l e
, d e r nI, actleve rlenls isj c q u i v t t l e nt to B a r t r t ka n c lK o d a l y
, t r r s r ac r r dl a r r r J s c a pae f. i l r t t i e
l l t L n g a r i afno l k : t r l n
n e g l e c l e dl 'h e p r r , L J r i r
t . q r , r , 1, rl l , c a t , r v r .
: l e o f' : n ) a n 'm a n ' s h a D l r i r r r - * r . w h o n th e g r e a t l y
a d r l i r e d { o r t h e h i g h l yc r e a t i v ea n d i t r n o v a t i vwe a y l lt h e yc l r e wo n
I q r , , \ t u 1 .hL, . r dp r r r r . r i s e
f o l kt r a c l r t i o nKs e p e sw o r k c coj r ra s c r i p ta b o u ta p o p L r l a r f t g t i irnet h e n i a t t o n a l
rediufli
';: i n M o tj c , r rr ) . , , i q , , q ; 1 . 1 p r e v o l u l i r tonf 1 8 4 8 ,R o z s aS a r r d o ra, k i n do f l - l u n g a r i aR n o b i nF l o o d B . i l ti n B u d a p e s t
lUi :a. 5 tt,crarrtts.
m1b r i d g e ,M a : l - l a r . i ; a t t h a tt i r n ci t w a s v i r t u a l l iyr r r p o s s i b ti eo r n a l <ae l i l m E v e ns o , K e p e sc o r r l t r t u e c l
r, : .lr '1949, r rr t I J ,r t v r . r s i ,py r r \ s ,;
p 6 w o r k i n go n t h e s c f i p t ,c o l l c c t i n gp o p u l a rl i t e r a t u r e .
r"'
aPhY'
r' o ? 1 1 ' ' sr o u p ,w a s n r a k i n gf i l n l si t r
L a s z l oI \ : ' l o h o l v - N aogryi ,g i r r a l lay t r e m b e ro f K a s s a l < g
:r
:i B e r l i n a, n c li n 1 9 3 0 ,K e p e sw r o t ea s k i n gt o w o r kw i t hh i r n .M o h o l yi n v i t c cKl e p e st o
enko's . j o i nh i r n ,a n c il r o m 1 9 3 0t o 1 9 3 7t h e yc o l l a b o r a t e idn t r : r n r i t l e n tfliyr s, ti n B e r l i na t r r i
ns all t h e ni n L o n d o n K e p e sd i c ln i a r g i n ewi lo r ko r l M t l h o l y ' tsi l n r ", B i a c kW fr i t ei r n dG r a y , "
lilies"':: a n c lh a d a m aj o r p r a ritn d e s i g n i n gt h c s t a g ef o rM a d a m eB u t t e rl fy a n d H i n d e m i t h ' s
rolilicarii;
'ii1 I llin und Zurilck.
tical
, e p e s ' sp a s s i o n i : i it ne t e r e srt n t h e c l e v e l o p i nsgo c i a la r r da e s t h e t i ci d e a l s
I n B 6 r i i nK
rorTl h a d o p p o r t u n i t i ef so r a n e v e ng r e a t e rs c o p e .I n a c l d i l t o tno h i s n e w f r i e n d s h i w p ith
la M o h o l y - l . . 1 ahgeyc, a m et o k n o wt h e H u n g a r i a n s c u l p t o rL a s z l oP e r i ,t h e a r c h i l e c t
W a l t e rC ) r o p i uasn r lt h e f i l n r r r r a k eVr se r t o t af n d D o v z i r e l n kwoh o w e r ea d m i r e d

I
 Thisdualimpoverishment of our dailyliveshas
gone uncheckedbut not unnoticed.Overa
hundredyearsago, John Buskjncomplained.
"lt is the vainestol affectations
to try to put
beautyjnlo shadows,whileall realthingsthat
cast themare leftin deformityand pain."All
that has been lostfromour dailyexistence-
the commonjoysof the richnessof the
environment, lhe pleasurein makingthings,
the tendernessof intimatemoments,and
aboveallthe collectiverituaispunctuatingthe
interfacesof life:christenings,weddings,
funeralsand the changesof the sbasons-
we onlyfind in isolatedworksof art
lntroduction, HungarianPeasanlArt editedby
TamasHoferand EditFel,Oxlord:Oxford
U n i v e r s i tPyr e s s f, o r l h c o m r n g .
And so let us understandthatthe issueis not
functionaldesignas such,that it is not justthe
"knowhow,"but the "knowwhy" and the "know
what."The crux of the issuers not the mere
physicalprinciple,whichis as old as nalure
and hislory,but lhe strengthand scope of
appilcationin the concretecontextof genuine
h u m a nn e e d s .
"Functionin ModernDesign,"GraphicForms,
Cambridge,Ma.: HarvardUniversityPress,
1 9 4 9 ,p p 5 - 6 .
p a r t i c u l a r lfyo r t h e i ra b i l i t yt o m o b i l i z es o c i a li m a g i n a t i o n
t h r o u g ht h e u n i o no f a r t a n d
t e c h n o l o g y I. n t h e l a r g e rr e a l mo f c o n t e m p o r a r yi d e a s K e p e sw a s a t t r a c t e d
e s p e c i a l l yt o t h e c o n f i d e n tf u t u r j s mo f M a y a k o v s k y- t h a t a r t i s m e a n i n g f ui lf i t
t r a n s f o r m st h e e n v i r o n m e n-t a n d t o t h e a c t i v i s ti d e o l o g yo f T a t l i nr a t h e rt h a nt o t h e
m o r e f o r m a lc o n c e r n so f M a l e v i c h .
D u r i n gh i sb r i e fs u b s e q u e npt e r i o di n L o n d o n f, r o m1 9 3 5t o 1 9 3 7 t, h r o u g hh i sfr i e n d
J J . C r o w t h e rt,h e n a s c i e n c ew r i t e ro f t h e M a n c h e s t e rG u a r d i a n ,K e p e sc a m e i n t o
c o n t a c tw i t h s o m eo f t h e l e a d i n gs c i e n t i s t si n E n g l a n d- B e r n a l ,N e e d h a m ,
W a d d i n g t o na, n d H a l d a n e .H e f e l t a s m u c h e x c i t e m e n a t m o n gt h e s es o c i a l l y
c o m m i t t e ds c i e n t i s t sa s h e h a d w i t h K a s s a k ' sg r o u p a n d o t h e ra r t i s t s H
. e also
r e n e w e dh i s e a r l yi n t e r e s it n J o h n B u s k i na n d W i l l i a mM o r r i sa n d t h e i rv i s i o no f t h e
t h e e n v i r o n m e n tH
a r t i s t ' sr o l ei n t r a n s f o r m i n g . e s a w n o n e c e s s a r yo p p o s i t i o na s
t h e y d i d b e t w e e nt h e c r a f te t h i ca n d m o d e r nt e c h n o l o g y .
W h e nM o h o l yw a s i n v i t e di n 1 9 3 7t o e s t a b l i s ha N e w B a u h a u si n C h i c a g o ,h e a s k e d
K e p e st o f o u n dt h e l i g h ta n d c o l o r d e p a r t m e n t t, h e f i r s to f i t s k i n d i n t h i sc o u n t r y
M o h o l yw a n t e d" t o f o r ma n u c l e u sf o r a n i n d e p e n d e n tr e l i a b l ee d u c a t i o n aci e n t e r ,
w h e r ea r t ,s c i e n c e ,t e c h n o l o g yw i l l b e u n i t e di n t oa c r e a t i v ep a t t e r n . 'T' h i si s o n e
o f t h e t h e m e s ,w i l h i t s a n t e c e d e n t si n M u n k a ,t h e R u s s i a nW c h u t e m a sa n d t h e
y e v e l o p e db y K e p e st h i r t yy e a r s
B a u h a u s t, h a t r e t u r n e de n r i c h e da n d s i g n i f i c a n t l d
l a t e ri n h i sa i m sf o r t h eC e n t e rf o rA d v a n c e dV i s u a S l t u d i e sa t M . l . T I. n K e p e s ' sl i g h t
a n d c o l o rw o r k s h o pi n C h i c a g oa v a r i e t yo f l o r m sa n d t e c h n i q u e sf o r v i s u a le l e m e n t s
w e r e r e s e a r c h e da n d r e l a t e dt o t h e i rp o t e n t i a sl o c i a la n d p s y c h o l o g i c ai lm p a c t
K e p e s ' sp u r p o s ei n t h e s ee x e r c i s e sw a s t o i n c r e a s eu n d e r s t a n d i n go l v i s u a l
organization u s i n g m a n y m e d i a i n d i f f e r e n td e s i g nc o n t e x t s
I n J a n u a r y1 9 4 2 ,t h e C h i c a g oI n s t i t u t eo f D e s i g n( t h e r e s t r u c t u r e dN e w B a u h a u s )
w a s c e r t i f i e db y t h e A r m y a s a s c h o o lf o r t h e s t u d yo f c i v i l i a nc a m o u fl a g e ,a n d
K e p e ss e t o u t t o a p p l y h i s t h e o r i e so f e f f e c t i v ev i s u a la n a l y s e st o t h e p r o b l e mo f
c a m o u f l a g ed e s i g n .A s p a r t o f h i s r e s e a r c h ,K e p e sf l e w o v e r C h i c a g oa t n i g h tt o
o b s e r v et h e l i g h tp a t t e r n s A . n e a r l i e rf l i g h to v e r P a r i s ,s e v e ny e a r sb e f o r e ,h a d
elicited i m a g e s o f a l a r g e - s c a l eu r b a na r t f o r m .N o w , i n C h i c a g o ,d u r i n gt h e w a r ,h e
e x p l o r e dt h e p o s s i b i l i t i eos f t r a n s f o r m i n gt h e l a r g e - s c a l ei m a g eo f t h e c i t y .T o
d i s l o c a t et h e n i g h tl a n d m a r k sh, e p r o p o s e dt o f i o a to n c a b l e sa n e t w o r ko f l i g h t st h a
w o u l d h o v e ro v e r L a k e M i c h i g a ns o t h a t t h e p a t t e r nw o u l d t a k e o n a n a p p a r e n t
r e a l i t yc o n f u s i n gt o p o t e n t i a rl a i d e r s .T h i s c a m o u f l a g er e s e a r c hg a v e K e p e sa n
e x t r a o r d i n a royp p o r t u n i t yt o e n v i s i o nt h e p o s s i b i l i t i e os f a n e n v i r o n m e n t aalr t .
H e d e v e l o p e dt h e t h e m eo f t h e u r b a nn i g h t s c a p es e v e n t e e ny e a r sl a t e r ,w h e n h e
d e s i g n e da p r o g r a m m e dl i g h tm u r a lf o r t h e K L M o f fi c e i n N e w Y o r k . sA n d i n 1 9 6 8h e
planned and designed The Night Landscape of the City at the FourteenthTriennale
de Milano.
T h e s u b s t a n c ea n d a p p r o a c ho f K e p e s ' sr e s e a r c ha n d t e a c h i n gi n C h i c a g oa r e
reflected in his f irst book Language of Vision,written between 1939and 1942 and
p u b l i s h e di n 1 9 4 4 .T h e b o o k ,n o w i n i t s t h i r t e e n t he d i t i o n ,h a s b e c o m ea c l a s s i ci n
10
 We areembeddedin a "secondnature,"in
a man-slraped environment which could not
grownaturally becauseil was inlercepted
and lwistedbYone-sidedeconomic
considerations. Theappearanceof thingsrro
longerrevealslhcil nature-- imagesfake
lorms- formscheatfunctions- functions
are robbedof theirnaturalsources- human
needs.Urbanlandscapes,buildingswith
counterleitinsidesand fakeoutsides,offices
and factories,objectsfor use,the packaging
of goods,the poste(s,the advertisingin our
newspapers, our clothes,our gestures,our
physiognomy are wrthoulvtsualintegrity
Theworldman has constructedis without
sincerity,withoutscale,withoutcleanliness -
twistedin space,withoutlightand cowardlyin
color.lt combinesa mechanicallyprecise
patternof thedetailswithina formlesswhole.lt
is oppressrve in itsfakemonumentality, it is
degradingin ils petlyfawnrngmannerof
decorativelace lifling Man,livingin this false
envrronment and injuredemolionallyand
intellectually
by the terrificodds of a chaotic
society,cannotavoidhavinghis sensibilities,
the foundatjon
of his creativefaculty,
rmpalred.
A manwhose{acultiesare impairednarrows
hisworld He achievesa relativeequilibriumin
hisenvironment onlyby artificallyshrinkingit
in proportion lo his diflicultjes. ThisiErpaired
capacityrs furthercharacterized
abiljtyto makeexperiencecoherent.Today
b e c a u s et h i sl a i l r n ge x p r e s s e ist s e l a
i n a b i l i ttyo b r i n gs e n s u o u se,m o t i o n a al ,n d
intellectual levelsol experienceto a single
locus,a diffusedimagewithoutcohesron
preventsman'sntovements lrom one situation
lo anolhef.
To bringdri-eciron and orderto this
{ormlessno:rs we needto regainthe healthof
our creaii\/.. lai;Uliies, and not the least,of our
v l S U asle n : i i i - r t l i t i e s
"The16p1111;,1;1,
: r,i C)r(ierin Vision,,,
Building
lor Mod€ r: ,i,i.:;,t.-i
L_ry
ThOmaSH. Creighton
r-elt.rnUnrversrtyPress,
::l:""' '.
rvav
lri i,,
s c h o o l so f a r t , d e s i g n ,a n d a r c h i t e c t u r eh n d h a s h a d a g r e a t i m p a c to n w a y so f
t h i n k i n ga, n d o n t e a c h i n ga n d p r a c t i c i n gd e s i g na n d p h o t o g r a p h y
K e p e s ' sb o o k w a s m o r ea c c e s s i b l et o A m e r i c a ns t u d e n t st h a n t h o s ep r o d u c e db y
t h e B a u h a u sB . o t hd e a l tw i t hf u n d a m e n t al al w so f s p a t i a rl e l a t i o n sl i, g h ta n d c o l o r ,
b u t K e p e sm a d ed e s i g np r i n c i p l e ism m e d i a t e layp p l i c a b l eH . i sa i m ,a s h e s t a t e si t
i n t h e i n t r o d u c t i o ni ,s t h e m o t i ft h a t a p p e a r st h r o u g h o u h t i s l i f ea n d w o r k :
" T o e s t a b l i s ha n o r g a n i ci n t e r c o n n e c t i oonf t h e n e w f r o n t i e r so { k n o w l e d g e. . . t h e
g o a l i s a n e w v i t a ls t r u c t u r e - o r d e r.. . . T h eL a n g u a g eo f V i s i o n ,o p t i c a l
c o m m u n i c a t i o ni ,s o n e o f t h e s t r o n g e s p t o t e n t i am
l e a n sb o t ht o r e u n i t em a n a n d h i s
k n o w l e d g ea n d t o r e - f o r mm a n i n l oa n i n t e g r a t e db e i n g . . . V i s u acl o m m u n i c a t i oins
u n i v e r s aal n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l.. . l t c a n r e i n f o r c et h e s t a t i cv e r b a lc o n c e o tw i t ht h e
s e n s o r yv i t a l i t yo f d y n a m i ci m a g e r y .l t c a n i n t e r p r e t h e n e w u n d e r s t a n d i n o gf the
p h y s i c aw l o r l da n d s o c i a le v e n l sb e c a u s ed y n a m i ci n l e r r e l a t i o n s h iapnsd
i n t e r p e n e t r a t i ownh, i c ha r e s i g n i f i c a notf e v e r ya d v a n c e ds c i e n t i fc u n d e r s t a n d i n g
o f t o d a y ,a r e i n t r i n s i icd i o m so f t h e c o n t e m p o r a rvye h i c l e so f v i s u a cl o m m u n i c a t i o n :
p h o t o g r a p h ym, o t i o np i c t u r e sa n d t e l e v i s i o n . " 6
K e p e sc o n c l u d e dt h a tt h e l a n g u a g eo { v i s i o ni n v o l v e st h e d e v e l o p m e nol f " d y n a m i c
i c o n o g r a p h y . "H e s h o w sh o w f i l m a n d d e s i g nc a n b e u s e d r i g o r o u s l yt o
c o m m u n i c a t en e e d e dk n o w l e d g e K . e p e s b e l i e v e sn e w c o m b i n a t i o n so f v i s u a l
e l e m e n t sa f fe c t f e e l i n g sa n d p e r c e p t i o n sa, n d h e c i t e s t h e s t r u c t u r acl o n n e c t i o no f
i m a g e si n a c t u a lt i m es e q u e n c ei n f i l m ;t h e d y n a m i ci n t e r a c t i o no f w o r d a n d i m a g ei n
A p o l l i n a i r e ' isd e o g r a m sa n d M i r 6 ' sp a i n t i n g - p o e m st ;h e c o o r d i n a t i o no { a c t u a l
t h r e e - d i m e n s i o nuanl i t sa n d p u r ep l a s t i ce l e m e n t so f l i n e sa n d s h a p ei n
p h o t o m o n t a g eT. h e s ec o m b i n a t i v ea r t f o r m sh a v e g r e a t p o t e n t i afl o r b r o a d c a s t i n g
s o c i a lm e s s a g e sa n d c o u l d p r o v i d et h e c o m p o n e n t sf o r a p o s i t i v ep o p u l a ra r t ,a
m o d e r nv e r s i o no f t h e u n i o nb e t w e e nr n a na n d h i s e n v i r o n m e n t ,h e i n t e g r a t e dl i f e ,
t h a t K e p e sa d m i r e di n f o l k a r t .W i t ht h e p u b l i c a t i o no I L a n g u a g eo f V i s i o nK e p e s ' s
by lhckof n a m e b e c a m ei d e n t i f i e dw i t h a n a n a l y t i c aal n d i n c l u s i v ea p p r o a c ht o d e s i g n .H e
r e p r e s e n l e dt o m a n ya s e c o n dg e n e r a t i o no f B a u h a u s - o r i e n l eadr t i s t i d e s i g n e r s ,
f san
e v e nt h o u g hh i s p a r t i c u l a rs e t o f i n l e r e s t sd i v e r g e df r o mt h e B a u h a u sa e s t h e t i c .
I n 1 9 4 5 ,K e p e sw a s i n v i t e dt o e s t a b l i s ha p r o g r a mi n v i s u a ld e s i g na t t h e S c h o o lo f
A r c h i t e c t u r ea n d P l a n n i n ga t M l . T .K e p e s ,w i t h h i s e x p e r i m e n t si n n e w m a t e r i a l s
a n d m e t h o d so f d e s i g n ,h i ss y s t e m a t iac n a l y s i so f t h e l a n g u a g eo f v i s i o n h, i s
i n l e r e s ti n t h e c o l l a b o r a t i v ep o s s i b i l i t i ebs e t w e e na r t a n d s c i e n c e ,w a s a n i d e a l
c h o i c et o e s t a b l i s ht h i s n e w p r o g r a m .U p t o t h i s p o i n t ,K e p e sh a d b e e n e x p o s e dt o
t h e g e n e r a lp h i l o s o p h yo f s c i e n c e ,b u t a t M . l . T .h e h a d t h e c h a n c et o m o v e i n t ot h e
c e n t e ro f t h e r e a lw o r l d o f s c i e n c ea n d t e c h n o l o g y H . e r e c a l l sa r r i v i n gl i k ea
d i s p l a c e dp e r s o n ,w i t h a n i n t e n s en e e d t o e x t r a c tm e a n i n gf r o m h i s n e w m i l i e ua n d
r e l a t ei t t o h i s o w n w o r k .
l n C a m b r i d g e ,K e p e sb r e c a m et n v o l v e di n a n u m b e ro f c o l l a b o r a t i v e p r o j e c t sw i t h
a r c h i t e c t si ,n c l u d i n gG r o p i u sW
, u r s t e rB, e l l u s c h a
i , n d K o c h .I n t h e p r o c e s so f
w o r k i n go n t h e s ec o m m i s s l o n sh,e d e v e l o p e dn e w t e c h n i q u e sm , a t e r i a l as n d ,x
r r o d e so f d i s p l a y I n 1 9 4 8 - 4 9h, e a n d h i sw i f eJ u l i e tK e p e sd e s i g n e da c h i l d r e n ' s
lJ,
ill'
'\
&
Our greattaskis to bring man in scaleagain
withthe entirehorizonof nature,so thathe can
senseit in all itswealthand promises,
harmoniesand mysteries.In ignoranceand
prideand by insecurity, we havesevered
ourselvesfromour broaderbackground.We
haveto re-establish our bonds and recognize
level.Eastern
our loyaltieson this all-inclusive
philosophyand art had an age-oldawareness
thatmen livedmostfullyby opening
themselvesto the universalrhythmof nature.
Withdeep insights,Easternphilosophersand
artistsrespondedto innerand outer
correspondences and reachedstagesof
wonderfultranquillityThe artistsof our
century,gropinglor self-realization, for an
innerfreedom,for the trueecstasyof
spontaneity, jealouslyfollowedthe expressive
intensityand spontaneity of orientalart. Bul
theydid so withoutrecognizingthatthe
freedomof orientalart grew from its
recognition of the continuilybetweenman and
nature.
"Commentson Arl," NewKnowledgein Human
Valuesed. by AbrahamH Maslow,New York:
H a r p e r& B r o t h e r s1, 9 5 9 ,p 9 1
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r o o m u s i n ga v a r i e t yo f t e x i u r e so n t h e f l o o ra n d p h o s p h o r e s c e nl ti g h tp a t t e r r
t h e c e i l i n g ,i n a n a t t e m p tt o b r i n g e l e m e n t so f t h e o u t d o o r si n t ot h e r o o m i n o r
h e i g h t e ns e n s o r yp a r t i c i p a l i ow n i t ht h e e n v i r o n m e n Kt . e p e se x p l o r e dt h e h e r
c o d i n go f s c i e n t i fc s y m b o l sa n d m o d e l sa s i m a g e r yf o r a n u r b a na r t i n h i s k i r
large-scalo e u l d o o rm u r a lo l n e o n t u b i n g f o r t h e R a d i oS h a c k ,B o s l o n ,i n I 9 5 t
t o o ka n i m a g ef r o m e l e c t r o n r c -s e l e c t r o m a g n e t i cw a v e sa s s e e no n a n
o s c i l l o s c o p-e a n d t h r o u g ht h e m e d i u mo f l i g h tm a d e t h ew o r kp a r to f t h e u r
n i g h t s c a p eT. h i sk i n e t i cm u r a li s a n e x a m p l eo f K e p e s ' sd e s i r et o m a k es c i e n c
a l i e nb y i n t e g r a t i n gs c i e n t iifc e l e m e n t si n t o e v e r y d a ya e s t h e t i ce x p e r i e n c el."
d e v e l o p e dh i si d e a so f u r b a ni m a g e r ya n d s y m b o l i s mi n a s t u d yh e c o - d i r e c t e
K e v i nL y n c h ,h i so l d f r i e n df r o m C h i c a g o f, r o m a p p r o x i m a t e l1y9 5 4t o 1 9 5 8o
" P e r c e p t u aFl o r m so f t h e C i t y . "L y n c hr e c a l l s :" K e p e sw a s a l i v et o e v e r y t h i n gh
a n d h e l p e dm e t o l o o k . "T h e i rw a l k st h r o u g hc i t i e sa n d t h e i re x c h a n g e o s l vie
w e r e i n fl u e n t i aol n L y n c hi n h i s b o o k sT h eI m a g e o f t h e C i t y ,a n d l a t e rV i e wfr c
R o a d . L y n c h ' sw o r k c o n t r n u e st h e i re f f o r tt o f i n d d i r e c te x p r e s s i o n so f t h e c u l l
u r b a ne m b l e m sa n d s y m b o l sT. o K e p e s ,u r b a na r tf o r m sh a v et h ep o t e n t i af lo r
c o n t e m p o r a rpyu b l i ca r l , i f t h e ya r e r e s p o n s i v e t o o u rn e e d s .
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l a t e rw o r k .I n t h e l a t e1 9 4 0 s K , e p e sp a r t i c i p a t e d
i n s o m eo f t h e w e e k l yd i s c u s
o n n e w d e v e l o p m e n t si n s c i e n c e ,c o n d u c t e db y N o r b e r tW i e n e r .T h e w a r h a c
e n d e d r e c e n t l ya n d K e p e sd e s c r i b e si t a s a j u b i l a n ta n d c o n i i d e n t i m e ,a p e r
m a j o rb r e a k t h r o u g h sA. m o n g t h e s c i e n t i f i cc o n c e p t st h a t a f f e c t e dh i m w e r e
W i e n e r ' si d e a so n c y b e r n e l i c sa n d f e e d b a c ks y s t e m sa n d t h e w o r k b y W a r r e r
M c C u l l o c ha n d o t h e rn e u r o p h y s i o l o g i st h t sa ts u p p o r t e dt h e v i e wt h a to n e ' s
c a p a c i t yt o o r i e n to n e s e l fi s b a s e d o n t h e a b i l i t yo f t h e n e u r o l o g i c asl y s t e mt o
d i s c e r ni n v a r i a n c ien c o n t i n u o u tsr a n s f o r m a l i o K n .e p e sc a n b e s e e nt o h a v e
a d o p t e dt h e s ei d e a s a s m e t a p h o r st:h a t t h e r e a lt a s k o f a r t w a s t o h e l p p e o p l e
r e d i s c o v e trh e i n v a r i a n st e n s eo f p o t e n t i a lh a r m o n ya n d f u l fi l l m e n tb e n e a t ht l
t r a n s f o r m a t i o nosf l i f e ,t h a t a r t c a n b e a f e e d b a c ks y s t e mo f a s o c i e t y ' si r n a g e
aspirations.
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w a y s :a s a s o u r c eo f e x p a n d e di m a g e r y ;a s a d y n a m i cw a y o f t h i n k i n gw h e r e
b a s i ci d i o m sa r e r e l a t i o n s h i pes n, e r g i e sp, r o c e s s e sa n d s t r u c t u r aolr g a n i z a t t r
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c h o s e no b j e c t i v e s .T" h e l a b o r a t o rcya n b e a m o d e l{ o ra w a y o f w o r k i n gi n
n o n - s c i e n t i ffi ice l d sa s w e l l .I n a p p l i e ds c i e n c eK e p e ss a w " m o d e l so f d y n a m
i n t e r c o n n e c t e d n easns d b a s i cc o m p l e m e n t a r i o t yf d i s p a r a t ep r o c e s s e sa n d
s y s t e m s- p a r t i c u l a r li yn s u c hf i e l d sa s c o m p u t e rt e c h n o l o g ye, l e c t r o n i c sa,r
c o m m u n i c a t i onne t w o r k s" .T
F r o m 1 9 4 7t o 1 9 5 2 K e p e sc o l l e c t e dv i s u a lm a t e r i a o l n s c i e n t iifc s t r u c l u r ea n d
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i m a g e r ya n d i n 9 5 1 h e o r g a n i z e d" T h e N e w L a n d s c a p e , "a n e x h i b i t i o na t M .
H a y d e nG a l l e r y l t s s u b j e c tw a s t h e " n e w f r o n t i e r so f t h e v i s i b l ew o r l d . . . u n t i l
h i d d e nf r o mt h e u n a i d e de y e , "A m o n gt h e e x h i b i t sw e r ep h o t oa n d e l e c t r o n
m i c r o g r a p h so f b i o l o g i c afl o r m sa n d c r y s t a ls t r u c t u r e sa n d e x a m p l e so f s t r u c t
 worldthatwe Knowon tne gross
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together, aerialmaps of riveresluariesand
roadsystems, feathers'fern leaves,
branchingbloodvessels'nerveganglta,
electronmicrographs of crystalsand the
tree-likepatternsof electricaldischarge-
figuresareconnected,althoughthey are
vastlydifferent in place,originand scale.Their
similarityof formis by no means accidental.
As patternsol energy-gathenngand
energy-distribution,they are similar graphs
generctedby srmiiarprocesses.
TheNewLandscape,Chicago PaulTheobald
a n dC o . ,1 9 5 6 p, . 2 6 0
P:91:!9:goPE PATTERNS
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a r t a n d a r c h i t e c t u r awl o r k s . l n T h e N e w L a n d s c a p ei n A r ta n dS c i e n c e( 1 9 5 6 ) ,h e
p u b l i s h e dt h i sm a t e r i at lo g e l h e w r i t he s s a y sb y s u c hi l l u s t r i o ussc i e n t i s tasn d a r t i s t s
a s N o r b e r lW i e n e r ,F e r n a n dL 6 g e r ,J e a nA / p , a n d W a l t e rG r o p l u s .T h e e x h i b i t i o n
a n d t h e b o o kc o n t r i b u t e ds i g n i ifc a n t l yt o t h e r a p p r o c h e m e not f a r t a n d s c i e n c e ,a n d
p r e f i g u r e dt h e c o l l a b o r a t i v sep i r i to f t h eg r o u p " E x p e r i m e n t si n A r t a n d T e c h n o l o g y "
( E A T )i n t h e 1 9 6 0 s .A c c o r d i n gt o K e p e sw h a tw a s n e e d e dw e r e m o d e l so f
r e l a t e d n e s sa; r t c o u l d a i d s c i e n c eb y p r o v i d i n gi t w i t h n e w r e s o u r c e sf o r
v i s u a l i z a t i o nT.o g e t h e r s, c i e n t i s t sa n d a r t i s t sc o u l d w o r k o u t n e w v i s u a li d i o m s . s
K e p e sp r o c e e d e dt o o r g a n i z es e m i n a r sf o r g r a d u a t es t u d e n t si n t h e S c h o o lo f
A r c h i t e c t u r eo n a r a n g eo f s u b j e c l so f m u t u a li n t e r e s t o s c i e n t i s l sa n d a r t i s l s :o n
structure i n a r 1a n d s c i e n c eo, n t h en a t u r eo f m o t i o no, n s i g n s ,i m a g e s a, n d s y m b o l s ,
a n d o n o t h e rt o p i c s .T h e s ei d e a sc a m et o g e t h e ri n V i s i o n+ V a l u e ,t h e s e v e nv o l u m e
s e r i e sd e v o t e dt o t h e e x a m i n a t i o n o f p r o b l e m sc o m m o nl o s c i e n c ea n d t h e v i s u a l
a r t s w h i c ht o o k a n e s s e n t i a l l sy t r u c t u r a l i sat p p r o a c h . sT h e p u r p o s eo f t h e s e r i e s ,
K e p e sw r o t e ,i s " t o s y s t e m a l i z eo u r k n o w l e d g ea b o u tt h e r o l eo l v i s i o n ,t o t i n d
c o m p e t e n lm e t h o d st o d e v e l o pi t ,a n d t o m a p t h e c o n c r e l et e r r i t o r i e w s h e r ec r e a t i v e
v i s i o ni s t o b e a p p l i e d . "
A s t h e c o m p l e m e n t a r iot yf a r ta n d s c i e n c ei s a c e n t r a il s s u ei n K e p e s ' sw o r k ,s o l i g h t
i s h i s d o m i n a n tm e a n so f e x p l o r a t i o na n d e x p r e s s i o nE . v e r yf a c e to f h i s w o r k ,b o t h
p u b l i ca n d p r i v a t ei,s c o n c e r n e dw i t hl i g h t - l i g h ta s m e d i u m a , s i m a g ea n d a s
s y m b o l .I n t h e v a r i o u sf o r m so f l i g h tK e p e ss e e st h e p r o m i s eo f a n e w a r t .I n h i s
e x h i b i t i o n",L i g h ta s a C r e a t i v eM e d i u m "a t t h e C a r p e n t e rC e n t e r ,H a r v a r d i, n 1 9 6 5 ,
h e p r e s e n t e dh i s t o r i c aal n d c o n t e m p o r a r ye x a m p l e s .K e p e sp o i n t st o p h y s i c a l ,
p h y s i o l o g i c asl ,y m b o l i ca, n d s p a t i adl e l i n e a t i obny l i g h ta n d s h a d e ,t r a n s l u c e n c y ,
t r a n s p a r e n c ys ,p e c u l a r e l l e c t i o na,n d c o l o rp r o d u c t i o nandinduction.l0
A l m o s ta l l o f K e p e s ' sp r o f e s s i o n al li { ec a m e t o f o c u s i n h i s p l a n sf o r t h e C e n t e rf o r
A d v a n c e dV i s u a lS t u d i e s( C A V S )w , i t ht h e " c r e a t i v eu s e o t l i g h to n a g r a n ds c a l e "a s
i t so r g a n i z i n g c o n c e p t i o nK. e p e s ' si n t e n t i o n i n f o u n d i n gt h e C e n t e rf o r A d v a n c e d
V i s u a lS t u d i e sw a s t o p r o v i d ea s e t t i n gw h e r ea r t i s t sa n d s c i e n t i s t sw o u l d
c o l l a b o r a t eo n p r o j e c t s e, x p e r i m e n t i n w g i t hn e w m e d i aa n d w o r k i n gt o w a r da n a r t o f
t h e e n v i r o n m e n tI.n h i s s t u d e n td a y s i n B u d a p e s t ,K e p e s h a d b e e n m o v e db y V a n
G o g h ' sd r e a mo f a c o m m u n i t yo f a r t i s t s a , n d h e h i m s e l fh a d e x p e r i e n c e dt h e
i n t e n s i t yo, p t i m i s ma n d c o m m i t m e not i a c o o p e r a t i v ev e n t u r eo f a r t i s t sw i t h a s o c i a l
m j s s i o ni n t h e C o n s t r u c t i v i s t - o r i e n tM e du n k a .T h o u g hh e w a s n e v e ra m e m b e ro f t h e
B a u h a u s ,i t w a s h o w e v e r a , s i g n i if c a n tm o d e lo f c o m m u n a le f f o r tb e t w e e na r t i s t s
a n d a r t i s a n sd e d i c a t e dt o d e v e l o p i n g a n e wa e s l h e t i cw i t hs o c i e t arl a m i f i c a t i o nAs .
s i m i l a rs p i r i tm o t i v a t e dt h e c o l l a b o r a l i v ep r o j e c t sc o n t i n u e di n t h e C h i c a g oI n s t i t u t e
o l D e s i g n .I n L o n d o n t, h e r ew a s t h e l r i e n d s h i p w i t hs c i e n t i s t as r o u n dC r o w t h e r .
A n d t h e r ew a s R u s k i n ' sa n d N 4 o r r i s v' si e wo f t h e a r t i s t ' sr o l e i n t r a r r s f o r m i ntgh e
e n r r i r o n m ew r rht i c hK e p e sh a ss a i d i n fl u e n c e dh i m i n t h e f o r m a t i o n o f t h eC e n t e r
At M I T. tl-rere h a d b e e n t h e f o r m a t i v ee x p e r i e n c eo f W i e n e r ' ss e m i n a r si n n e w
d e v e l o p m e n t st n s c i e n c e T h e r ea l s ow e r e t h e m e a n i n g f uel x c h a n g e sw i t h
c o l l e a g u e lsi k eH a r o l dE d g e r t o nK, e v i nL y n c h ,W a l l e rR o s e n b l i t hB, t u n oR o s s i
a n d C y r i lS m i i ha n d C a n r b r i d g fer i e n d ss u c ha s G e r a l dH o l t o n l,. A .R i c l r a r d as n d
13
 G e o r g eW a l d .S p e c i fi c p l a n sf o r t h e C A V Sw e r e f i r s tf o r m u l a t e di n t h ef i f t i e s .I n 1 9 6
theCenteo r p e n e d .K e p e sd e s c f i b e di t s a i m s :

" T h eF e l l o w so f t h e M . l . T .C e n t e rf o r A d v a n c e dV i s u a S l t u d i e sn, o we n g a g e di n
preliminare y x p l o r a t i o no f a m a j o rp r o j e c t ,r e c o g n i z eo b j e c t i v e ss i m i l a rt o t h o s eo f
o t h e rc o l l a b o r a t i vger o u p s :a b s o r p t i o no f t h e n e w t e c h n o l o g ya s a n a r t i s t i cm e d i u m
i n t e r a c l i oonf a r t i s t ss, c i e n t i s t se,n g i n e e r sa, n d i n d u s t r yt;h e r a i s i n go f t h e s c a l eo f
w o r kt o t h e s c a l eo f t h e u r b a n s e t t i n g ;m e d i a g e a r e d t o a l l s e n s o r ym o d a l i t i e s ;
i n c o r p o r a t i oonf n a t u r a lp r o c e s s e s s, u c h a s c l o u d p l a y ,w a t e rf l o w ,a n d t h e c y c l i c e
v a r i a t i o nosf l i g h ta n d w e a t h e ra; c c e p t a n c eo f t h e p a r t i c i p a t i oonf ' s p e c t a l o r si n'
s u c ha w a y t h a ta r t b e c o m e sa c o n f l u e n c er a l h e rt h a n a d i a l o g u e B . u tt h e w o r k i n t h r
C e n t e ra i m sa t m o r et h a n e x p l o i t a t i o n o f n e w t e c h n i c a lp o t e n t i a l sl.t s e e k s ,a b o v e
a l l ,t o d e v e l o pn e w o b j e c t i v e s T . h e s ea r e e n v i s i o n e da s c o m p l e m e n l a r i eosf b o t h
t h e p r i v a t ea n d t h e c i v i c s e c t o ro f a r t : i n t e n s i f y i n gt h e i n fr a - i n d i v i d u awl o r l d a n d a t
t h e s a m et i m e d e v e l o p i n gn e t w o r k so f c o m m u n i c a t i o nb e t w e e ni n d i v i d u a l sa, n d
b e t w e e nt h e i n d i v i d u aal n d t h e e n v i r o n m e n t . " "

A p u b l i c a t i oant t h e d e d i c a t i o no f t h e C A V S( 1 9 6 7 )p r e s e n t st h e m e sf o r
1 9 4 8 ,b y
collaborativp e r o j e c t si n t h e " e x p l o r a t i o na n d d e v e l o p m e n ot l t h e f u n d a m e n t a l
c r e a t i v ep r i n c i p l e sn e c e s s a r yf o r a n e n v i r o n m e n t al li g h t a r l . " A m o n gt h e i n i t i a l
p r o j e c t sK, e p e ss u g g e s t st h e o r c h e s t r a t r oonf t h e u r b a nn i g h t s c a p eb y " d e v e l o p i n r
s i m u l a t i odne v i c e so f l i g h tp a t t e r n sc o u p l e dt o a c o m p u t e r , "i n o r d e rt o a c h i e v e
" c r e a t i v eu s eo f k i n e t i cl i g h td e s i g n so n a n e n v i r o n m e n t a s cl a l e . "

A n o t h e rr e l a t e db u l m o r ea m b i t i o u sp r o j e c tw a s t h e d e v e l o p m e not f a " m o n u m e n t e
k i n e t i cl i g h tf o r mf o r t h e m i d d l eo f B o s t o nH a r b o r ,t o p r o v i d et h e u r b a ne n v i r o n m e r
w i t h a f o c a lh e a r t h ,a m o n u m e n t agl a t e w a ym a t c h e dt o t h e a g e o f f l i g h t .S u c h a
p r o j e c tw o u l de n g a g ea r t i s t s ,s t r u c t u r a le, l e c t r o n i c c, o m p u t e r ,a n d s y s t e m s
e n g i n e e r sa; c i t y p l a n n e rp; s y c h o l o g i satn d s o c i o l o g i s t . " l 2

K e p e sp r o p o s e di n s t a l l i n gt l o a t i n gm i r r o r i n gb u o y s i n t h e h a r b o ra n d a m i l e - l o n g
p r o g r a m m e dl u m i n o u sw a l l .O t t o P i e n e ,o n e o f t h e f i r s tF e l l o w sa, n d n o w t h e C e n t e
D i r e c t o rd, e s i g n e da n a r t i l i c i a rl a i n b o wf o r t h e p r o j e c tw h i c hw a s c o n s t r u c t e df o u r
y e a r sl a t e rf o r t h e 1 9 7 2M u n i c hO l y m p i c s T h e s ew o r k sw e r e i n t e n d e dt o h a v ea
f e s t i v eq u a l i t y ," t o c o m p e n s a t ef o r t h e l o s tp a g e a n t r yo f n a t u r e , "a n d t o e n g e n d e r
s e n s eo f g r o u p i d e n t i t yf o r t h e c i t i z e n so l B o s t o n .K e p e sw i s h e dt o i n t r o d u c ea " n e r
a e s t h e t i cd i m e n s i o no f u r b a nl a n d s c a p et h r o u g ht h e c o n t r o l l e de x p l o i t a t i o on f t h e
l u m i n o ua s c c i d e n t arli c h n e s so f t h e u r b a nn i g h t s c a p e . " lT3h e p u r p o s eo f t h e
C e n t e r ' sp r o j e c t sw a s t o r a i s ec i v i cc o n s c i o u s n e s sa n d t o m e e tt h e n e e dt o b r i n g
i n t ot h e o t i e s n u c l e io f h i g h e x p e r i e n c e sf,o r m o r p a t t e r no f s i g h t sa n d s o u n d s .

" A r t . . . w i t h o u tl o s so f p e r s o n a vl i s i o n- i n p o i n to f f a c t t h r o u g ht h e e x p a n s i o no f
s u c hv i s i o n- i s f a s ta p p r o a c h i n g t h ee n v i r o n m e n t a s cl a l ea n d b y i t so w n i n n e r
d y n a m i c sa s a c r a f tb e c o m i n g a c o l l a b o r a t i v e n t e r p r i s ei n v o l v i n gs c i e n c ea n d
LASERMAP FANTASYabove Manhattan 1972 by e n g i n e e r i n g . . . T h ef o c a l e x p r e s s i o no f o u r c o r p o r a t ee x i s t e n c e . m a y w e l l t a k e
Gyorgy Kepes
t h e s h a p eo f g i g a n t i cl u m i n o u sf o r m sc e l e b r a t i n go u r c i v i cp r i d e i n o u r k n o w l e d q e
a n d h i g h t e c h n o l o g i c aal c h i e v e m e n tf:o u n t a i n so f l i g h t ,p r o d u c e db y p r o j e c t e d
s o u r c e so f p o w e r f u al r l i f i c i a l i g h t " t a
 ':

,l

A p a r l i c u l a r l yi m a g i n a t i v e x a m p l eo f K e p e s ' se n v i r o n m e n t aal r t i s h i sp r o p o s a fl o r a
w a t e rp u r i f r c a t i o pn r o c e s sa s a d i s p l a yf e a t u r et h a ta l s o s e r v e sa s a s y m b o l i cf o r mo f
m a n ' s a t t e m p ta t c o l l e c t i v es e l f - r e g u l a t i o nK.e p e sc o m p a r e st h i sf o r mo f c i v i ca r t t o
a R o m a na q u e d u c tT. h e p l a n tc o u l db e t h o u g h to f a s a p u b l i cm o n u m e n ta, n
r m m e n s et,r a n s p a r e nkt ,i n e l i cs t r u c t u r teh a tw o u l dm a k et h e h y d r a u l i cp r o c e s s e s
v i s r b l e : ." . . a c o n t a i n e db, u t l e g i b l eb a l l e to f w a t e rl o r c i n gt h r o u g ho b s t a c l e o
sf
f i l t e r st,i n t e da n d p u r i ife d b y c h e m i c a l so, r m o v i n gs l u g g i s h l yi n i n t r i c a t e
b u tl e g i b l e
p a t t e r n so f t r a n s p a r e nclo n t a i n e r s .H" e h a s a l s op r o p o s e d" i n f o r m a t i obne a c o n s "
o r " d a t af o u n t a i n s-" h i g hl u m i n o u sc o l u m n st h a tr e p o r to n f l u c t u a t i nlge v e l so f
w a t e r ,a i r ,n o i s ea n d p o l l u t i o nT. h e s ew o u l dr e s u l fl r o m t h e c o l l a b o r a t i veef f o r t so f
a r t i s t ss, c i e n t i s t ss,o c r o l o g i s tlse,l e c o m m u n i c a t i o en ns g i n e e r sa n d m u l t i m e d i a
experls.

K e p e s ' sp r o p o s a l sw e r e u n l j k e l yt o b e r e a l i z e db e c a u s eo f t h e i rs c a l ea n d t h e
c o m p l , c a t l o no s f g e t t i n gf u n d i n ga n d a p p r o v a lf r o mt h e v a r i o u sc i v i ca u t h o r i t i e sH. i s
p r o l e c t se v o k es o m eo f t h e f a n t a s ya n d p l a y fu l n e s so f t h e a r c h i t e c S t c h e e r b a rwt h o
i n 1 9 1 4 i n h i s G / a s s ar c h i t e k t u re n v i s a g e da e r i a lc i t i e sl i f t e db y b a l l o o n sa n d
i l l u m i n a t e db y a t h o u s a n dc o l o r e ds p o t l i g h t sa, n d r a i l w a y st r a c k i n gc o l o r e dl i g h t s
a c r o s st h e n i g h tc o u n t r y s i d eK. e p e sh a s l o n g b e e ni n t e r e s t e d inScheerbarl,
a l t h o u g hu n l i k et h i s a r c h i t e c to f f a n t a s y ,K e p e sc o n c e i v e dh i s p r o j e c t sa s f e a s i b l e .

Acoustics
exhibition 1949,Building7 Lobby,
T h o u g hv e r y f e w o f t h e p r o j e c t sw e r e r e a l i z e dt,h e C e n t e rc o m m u n i c a t e di t s g o a l s
MassachusetlsInstttute
of Technology, t h r o u g he x h i b i t i o nosf t h e a s s o c i a t e sw' o r k ,i n c l u d i n gi n d i v i d u apl i e c e s m , aquetles
Cambridge,
executed by RobertB. Newman a n d d r a w i n g sf o r l a r g e - s c a leen v i r o n m e n t a rl l ." E x p l o r a t i o n sa, "n e x h i b i t i o n
andRoberlBlissforAdvancedVisualStudies
course
conducted
p r e p a r e db y K e p e sa n d t h e F e l l o w si n 1 9 6 8f o r t h e S m i t h s o n i a nI n t e r n a t i o n aAlr t
by GyorgyKepes
P r o g r a m ,w a s i n t e n d e dt o l o o k a h e a d" t o w a r da n a r t s c a l e dt o t h e e x p a n d i n g I
s c i e n t i f i c - i n d u s t rui rabl a nw o r l da n d r e v e a l i n g i t s l a t e n tr i c h n e s s .F" o rt h i s l
We recognizeinterdependenceas Upslcto
e x h i b i t i o nw, i t ht h e h e l po f a r c h i t e c tei n g i n e e W r i l l i a mW a i n w r i g h K t , e p e sc r e a t e da
c a l kc o m p o s e do f f l u o r e s c e nlti g h t sa n d p o l a r i z e ds c r e e n sw h i c h
il
a livablecontemporary
P h o t o e l a s t iW rl
'IJ
life.Thus,we\do not c h a n g e dc o l o rw h e nw a l k e do n . T h i sw o r kw a s a t e n t a t i v em o d e lf o r a m o r em a s s i v e
believerndivorcingartfromlife,nor do we see
v e r s i o ni n t e n d e da s a n i n t e g r a lp a r t o { s o m e f u l u r eu r b a n e n v j r o n m e n tl .n 1 9 7 2 - 7 3
the arlist'sactivities as separatefrom lhe
lssuesthatt[oubleour conlemporarysociety.
Becauseol our beljefin this interdependency,
t h e C e n t e rp r e p a r e da t r a v e l i n ge x h i b i t i o ne n t i t l e d" M u l t i p l eI n t e r a c t i o n
b a s e d o n a p r o p o s a lb y { i l m m a k e r
S t a nv a n d e r B e e k a n d c o o r d i n a t e b
d
Team,"
y Friedrich
,'I
S t . F l o r i a n K
. e p e s e x h i b i t e dh i s F / a m eO r c h a r d : a c o l l a b o r a t i v p
e r o j e c tw ith
we corrtendthat crealiveideas in art play key
rolesin the shapingo{ our common liJe.To p h y s i c i s tW i l l i a mW a l t o n ,f e l l o wa r t i s tM a u r i c i oB u e n o ,a n d c o m p o s e rP a u lE a r l s ,
i1
symbolize thisconviction,our intenlionwas to w h o c r e a t e ds o u n dp a t t e r n st h ' a la c l i v a t e da n d m o d u l a t e df l a m e so f e s c a p t n gg a s .
rorm,witha urideranqeof vitalart works,an A s K e o e sd e s c r i b e di t :
environntenial community- one which,likea " C o n t e m p o r a r ym a n ' ss t r o n gr e s p o n s et o a f l i c k e r i n gc a n d l ef l a m eo r t o t h e
synergetic sysiem,can exislonlythroughthe s y n e s t h e t i c h o r e o g r a p h yo f t h e f l a m e si n a f i r e p l a c ec o m e sf r o md e e p e rr o o t st h a n
lnierconne.ted workingsol its members.Our a n o s t a l g i a{ o ra s i m p l ep a s t .T h ee v e r - c h a n g t nfgr e er i c h p l a yo f f l a m e sh a sa
almwas to ieaiizean exhibitionas a totality
and nc,ir,rrreivan anthologyol rndependent
s p e c i a lm e s s a g ef o r m a n w h o I i v e si n p a r c e l l e do u t s p a c e s ,r e g i m e n t e dd a y s a n d
arrrslrc u n d e rf r o z e nh o m o g e n i z eadr t i l i c i aj ll l u m i n a t i o nFs l.a m e sl i n ku s w i t hl o n gf o r g o t t e n
si.tietreirts,howeverrich they might
b c . B r - rt l; i i - r r r 5 t 3 1 1 3O6 U p r i m e v am l y s t e r i eas n d o f f e ru s a c r e s c e n d o f t h e m o m e n tb y b r i n g i n gw i d er a n g e s
g t S i dOeU rC O n l f O l
navek'.)i,riI i r.r111 0 1s e n s u o u sm o d a l i t i eisn a s i n o l ea i i v ef o c u s . " l s
3669J6plishlng
our aim.
Stalen-itr::l ', ,,I realtonwiili ilre cancellation T h e u s e o l a r c h e t y p ael l e m e n t sa n d i m a g e s- f i r e i n F l a m eO r c h a r d ,w a t e ri n t h e
o : l l r ei ! t i , ' , I .j .
f l a op a u l o ,J u l y 1 9 6 g p u r i if c a t i o rfr' l a r --r t m o b i l i z e db y s c i e r r c ea r r de n g i n e e r i n g
L r e c o m etsh e b a s i so f a

1a)
A similarcollectivevisionborn of pooled
feelings,ideas,and knowledgeis neededto
realizeanotherlarge-scale, potentialform for
whicha demandis becomingopen and
urgent:mass play activityor choreographed
expressiveoutlet.Men who live rjvetedto the
lelevisionsel or encapsulatedin an officeor
automatedfactoryhave forgettenthe joys of
shared,happy action A new pageantryis
longoverdue,a new collective,cooperative
publicfocusthroughwhichthe individuaican
sensethe richesof his worldmore directly.
Thereare signsin the contemporaryartistic
scenelhat suggestdirections,or, at least,
someidioms.Too manyot theseforms-
happenings,psychedeliclightplays,and
- are limitedin depth and
relatedactivities
scope by the present-daymentalityof
and by toolstoo primitivefor
frustration
Evenso, however,theseforms
realization.
containseedsof a promisingnew rangeof
relevantcreativeactivities.We have
prototypes,for example,
of masseventsin whichthe participants'
uniquelyteltkincslheticexperienceis
intenryovenwithsharedsurpriseof joy rn
seeingand hearingthemselves
simultaneously in amplifieddimensionson
someaudio-videodisplaydevice.
The Centerfor Adrun"lbaVisualStudles,
Cambridge,Mass.:Massachusetts Instituteof
Technology,Centerfor AdvancedVisual
Studies.1967.
n e w " f o l k a r t , "a " d y n a m i ci n c o n o g r a p h y t"h a t r e s p o n d sb o t ht o o u r p r e s e n ti i v e s
a n d l o o u r a t a v i s t i ci m p u l s e s l n s l e a do f a d a n c e o n t h e v i l l a g es q u a r e a , p a g e a n t ,o
a c o s t u m e dp a r a d e ,t h e C e n t e r ,w i t h O t t o P i e n e ' sl e a d e r s h i pd, e v e l o p sl a r g e - s c a l t
c e l e b r a t i o n ds e r i v e df r o mt h e t o r m so f t h e c i t y . U s i n gn e w m a t e r i a l a s n d r e v i v i n gt h t
, e p e sa n d h i s c o l l e a g u e sh a v es t r i v e nt o c r e a l ea n e w
o l d t r a d i t i o no f c e l e b r a t i o nK
i m a g e r y ,a n e w c o l l a b o r a t i v e s p i r i t ,n o t j u s t b e t w e e na r t i s ta n d s c i e n t i s tb, u t f o r t h e
c o m m u n i t ya t l a r g e .V i s i o nb e c o m e sa m e a n so f g i v i n gf o r mt o a s o c i e t yt h a t h a s
b e c o m ei n c o m p r e h e n s i b lteo i t s e J. fK e p e s i s t r y i n gt o p r e p a r et h e g r o u n df o r a
" f o l k l o r e "t o h e l pu s k e e p u p w i t hl h e t e c h n o l o g i c aal d v a n c e st h a ta f f e c to u r l i v e sa n r
m a k e n e w d e m a n d so n o u r u n d e r s t a n d i n g .
W o r k i n go n t h e s ec o l l a b o r a t l v e v e n t u r e s ,K e p e s n e e d e dl o f i n d a w a y t o a s s i m i l a t
p e r s o n a l l ya l l t h e e l e m e n t sh e w a s t r y i n gt o i n c o r p o r a t ei n t oa s o c i a lc o n t e x t .H e
f o u n dt h a th e c o u l d n ' u t s e s c i e n t i f i icm a g e r yi n d e p e n d e not f h i sa r t i s t i ci d i o m st:h
a r t i s ln e e d st o g r a s pt h e i m p l i c a t i o nosf s c i e n c ei n h i so w n t e r m s .l t w a s t h t s
c o n f r o n t a t i ow n i t ht h e n e w s c i e n c ea n d t e c h n o l o g yt h a t l e d K e p e st o r e t u r nt o
p a i n t i n gT . o v i s u a l i z ei m a g e so n a p u b l i cc o l l e c t i v es c a l e ,i t w a s n e c e s s a r yt o k e e
h i s b e a r i n gt h r o u g ht h e m e d i u mo f a p e r s o n aal n d p r i v a t ev i s i o nT. h i sh e d i d i n h l
p a i n t i n gl n 1 9 5 2 ,s h o r t l ya f t e rh e r e s u m e dp a i n t i n g h, e w r o t e :
"l am searching f o r t h o s el o w - e n e r gey x p e r i e n c ew s h i c h ,i n t h e i rs u b d u e ds c a l e ,
a l l o wm o r ee m b r a c i n gp a t t e r n so f o r d e r .I a m s e e k i n ga f f i n i t i e sb e t w e e nm y
c o m p l e t em o m e n t sa n d t h e p a t t e r n so f m y s u r r o u n d i n g sa n d h a v ef o u n df o r m y s e l f
n e w m e a n i n gf o r l a n d s c a p e .T h e t r a n q u i l ,. . . r h y t h m so f s o m ea g e - o l d ,
c o m m o n p l a c ee x p e r i e n c e s - s u n s e t - a b r a n c ho f t r e e - - s u g g e s tf o r m e t h e
c o h e r e n c ea n d c o m p l e t e n e s s o l a c k i n gi n o u r u r b a n i n d u s t r i a l i z ecdh a o s .B y
p a i n t i n gt h e mI k e e pt h e mt o g u i d em e t o t h e r i c h p o t e n t i avl a l u e si n h e r e nitn l h e n e
l a n d s c a o eo f t h e s c i e n t i f i wc orld."16
Kepesoftencitesthe Greekmythsof Daedalusand Antaeus,whichhe sees as
paradigmsof hisown dual aspirations.Daedalusis the spaceexplorer;he spanslarJ
distances,he dreamsof f lying Antaeus,son of the mothergoddessGea,is renewedI
stayinghome,on Earth.One can see Kepes'svoyagesand returnswith mythic
overtones.He makesphotogramsand lightart - dematerialized forms- dreamso
n e wm e d i ao n a n e v e r - e x p a n d i nsgc a l e ,a n d r e t u r n st o h i s p a i n t i n gw
s i t ht h e i re a r t ha t
sandtextures.He venluresout intothe advancedworld of sclence,relurningfor
. e s e e k st h e " c o m p l e m e n t a ruyn i t yo f
r e n e w atlo h i s H u n g a r i a nr u r a lo r i g i n sH
oPPosites."
W i t h i nt h e p a i n t i n g sh e p l a y so u t a p a r a l l esl e t o f i n t e r a c t i o nT
s .y p i c a l l yh, e p a i n t sa
g r o u n do f u n d i f f e r e n t i a t e da r t h l i k tee x t u r el n b r o w n ,b l a c ko r o l i v eg r e e no n w h i c hI
l o c a t e sa c o n t a i n e di s l a n do f c h r o m a t i ci n t e n s i t ay n d l u m i n o ues n e r g yK . e p e ss a y st t
h e s e e k st h i st y p eo f i n t e r p l a y",l i m i t e dd i m e n s i o n o s f d y n a m i ca c t i v i t ys e t a g a i n s at
l a r g ei n a c t i v e
total."
K e p e sw i s h e sh i sd i v e r s ea c t i v i t i etso b e s e e na s p a r to f a n o v e r a liln c l u s i v e
program
reconcilethe opposites- at leastin his own life- of personaland civic responsibii
H e h a sd i v i d e dh i st i m e b e t w e e nd r e a m so f e n v i r o n m e n t a p lu b l i ca r ta n d s e r e n e
 jnnerand
Todevelopa visronwhichbringsthe
outer worids together, we need common roots
oncemore.We are likeAntaeusoI old, whose
strength, ebbingwheneverhe lostconlacl
wilhthe Earth,his mother'became renewed
e a c ht r m eh e t o u c h e dt h eg r o u n d S p u no u t
of ourheads,scienceand art rematnanemic
andwithoulroot,and need strengthening
contactwithnatureonce again.The natural
w o r l dr e m a i n tsh ec o m m o nb a s i sf o r a l l o { u s '
eventhoughit is changedbeyondrecognltion
fromtheworldof nalureknownto our fathers.lt
stillstartslor uswherewe come in contaclwith
it- throughour senses.Sciencehas opened
up resources for newsightsand sounds,new
tastesand textures.lf we are to understand
the newlandscape,we need to touch it with
oursensesancibuildthe imagesthatwillmake
it ours.Forthiswe mustremakeour vision.
TheNewLandscape,Chicago:PaulTheobald
a n dC o , 1 9 5 6p, 2 0
It is a truismto saythatthe unresolved
conflictsof todayare reverberating both in
thewholesociallandscapeas well as within
eachindividual. Theindividualis as much a
battleground of the fightbetweenthe old and
narrowand the polentialnew and richeras the
group,the nation,or the globalcomrpunity.lt
is alsoequallytruethatthe man-credted
world,the houseswe build,lhe cilieswe plan,
the machinesor factoriesthroughwhichwe
producethe meanso{ lile,lhe scientific
inslruments whichhelp us to read and thus
use nature'senergresare individuallyand
togetheralsoscenesol the deathstruggle
Detweenold and new.But the transformation
of the rndividual is, beloreall,wherethe
restfuctlrringrnustbegin.His observation,his
understanding, his sensibilityare not only
passl\reiaciors,bul essenlialleversof soctal
t ransiorrnat ion.
" S c a l eS
, jtl
L r c t u r eR,h y t h m ,T
, 'r a n s f o r m a t i o ,
no 2 (i95j) 67_68
. e s a y sh e w i s h e sn o w t o l o c u s6 n p e r s o n ailm a g e s ," l y r i cp o e t r yw h o s e
p a i n t i n gH
t h e m ei s t h e c o m b i n a t i oonf e a r t h i n e sas n d l u m i n o u s n e sosf c h r o m a t i c i s m . "
O n e o f t h e f i r s tw o r k sK e p e sd i d w h e nh e r e s u m e dp a i n t i n gw a s H a n da n d B r e a d
, c a l l i n ga n e a r l i e dr r a w i n go f b r e a d ,b a r b e dw i r ea n d a h a n d .T h ei m a g eo f t h e
( 1 9 5 . 1 r) e
h a n de v o k e st h em e m o r yo f t h e c a m p s ,t h ew a r- a l e a np i c t u r eo n a h u n g r yt h e m es e t
againsa t l u g u b r i o ub s a c k g r o u n dT. h e c h r o m a t i c o l u m no n t h e s i d e ,r e c a l l i n g
D e l a u n a yi,s a b r i g h tc o n t r a s tK. e p e sl e e l st h i sp a i n t i n gi s a n i m p o r t a nst t e pi n h i s
e v o l u l i o na, s e e di m a g e :" a s y m b o l i cc o l l a g eo f s o c i a lr e a l i t yi s c o n t r a s t e d
w i t ha
s y m p h o n i cc h r o m a t i ce l e m e n l . "
Hispaintingsb , e g i n n i n gh e r ea n d e v o l v i n gt o w a r dw o r k so f g r e a t e rc h r o m a t i ca n d
c o m p o s i t i o n abl e a u t y ,a r e a b o u tr e l a t e d n e s sa n d c o m p l e m e n t a r i t i e st h, e d i a l e c t i c
b e t w e e nn a t u r ea n d a r t i { a c tb, e t w e e ni m a g e so f c h a o s a n d o r d e r .I n a n o l h e ra g e ,
K e p e sm i g h th a v eb e e na r o m a n t i cl a n d s c a p ep a i n t e r l,i k eC a s p a rD a v i dF r i e d r i c h ,
a v i s i o n a r yp a i n t e or f f o r l o r na n d m a j e s t i cl a n d s c a p e sF. r i e d r i c h 'tsh e m ei s t h e
l o n e l i n e sos f m a nc o n fr o n t i n gt h e i n fl n i t ee x p a n s eo f n a t u r e H . e a t t e m p l sl o b r i d g e
t h e c h a s mb e t w e e nt h et w o .T h e c o n n e c t e d n e stso w h i c hF r i e d r i c h a s p r r e si s
expressed i n t h e i m a g e a n d m e t a p h o r
o f l i g h t ,t h e e n c o m p a s s i n ga t m o s p h e r eo {
t r a n s c e n d e n c eT.h e r ea r es p i r i t u apl a r a l l e l w s i t ht h i sw a y o f p e r c e i v i n g
t h ew o r l di n
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T h e v a r i e t yo f e a r t h l i k et e x t u r e sa n d t o n e st h a t K e p e s u s e sg i v e st h e i m p r e s s i o no f
d i f fe r e n tp e r s p e c l i v e st:h e y m i g h tb e e i t h e rl e l e s c o p i co r m i c r o s c o p i cv i e w s .A t
l i m e so n e s e e m st o b e l o o k i n ga t a p l a n e t ' ss u r f a c es i m u l t a n e o u s lfyr o ma f a ra n d u p
c l o s e .A l o n g w i t h t h e s el i t e r a sl u r f a c e s ,s o m eo f h i s p a i n t i n g s l,i k eT e n d e rS p a c e
( 1 9 5 9 ) ,e v o k et h e s e n s eo f a l a n d s c a p eo f m e m o r y ,a n i n s c a p e ,I n a n o t h e rA , erial
N i g h t s c a p e( 1 9 5 9 ) t, h e t h e m ea p p e a r st o b e m o r e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n arle, s e m b l i n g
f l i c k e r i n gl i g h t sa n d s h a d o w sa, s I n t h e c a m o u f l a g ep r o j e c t o, r s e e m i n gt o f o r e c a s t
h i s p r o p o s a l sf o r c e l e b r a t o r yu r b a nn i g h t s c a p e s .
K e p e s ' sp a i n t i n gd o e s n ' tb e l o n gt o a n y s p e c i ifc a r t m o v e m e n tl.f o n e c o u l d
c o m p a r eh i s i n t e n t i o nlso a n y o t h e rp a i n t e r ' si ,t w o u l db e t o P a u lK l e e ' s w , hose
a t t i t u d et o w a r dn a t u r ea n d g r o w t hp r o c e s s e sm a d e a n i m p a c to n K e p e s .B e h i n d
b o t h t h e i rw o r k t h e r er s a w e a l t ho f t h e o r ya n d e x p e r i m e n t sc o n c e r n i n gs p a t i a l
r e l a t i o n sa n d c o l o rc o n t r a s t sI.n K e p e s ' sw o r kt h e s ee l e m e n t sa r e m o r e
m e t a p h o r i c at hl a nt h e o r e t i c abl ,u t b o t hu s er i c hc o l o ra n d c a l l i g r a p i hsi ci g n s t, h o u g h
K e p e sd o e s s o l e s s{ r e q u e n t l yL r k eK l e e ,K e p e sg i v e su s a h i g h l yc o l o r i s t i c
n u a n c e dv e r s i o no f t h e c u l t u r eo f m a t e r i a l sa, l l o w i n gp e r s o n a lr e f e r e n c e sa n d
a s s o c i a t i o ntso e m e r g efr o m t h e l i n e ,c o l o ra n d s p a c e .
t,.'1i
K e p e sr e c a l l sf r o ma n r e e t i n g w i t hK l e ei n 1 9 3 5t h a tK l e ed e s c r i b e dh i m s e laf s " a
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1n
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b u i l d su p t h et e x l u r eo { i r i sc a n v a s e sb y f i r s td r a w i n gw i t hp l a s t i cg l u e ,o n t ow h i c hh e
s p r i n k l e s a n d .T h es u f fa c e i s t h e ng l a z e dw i t hc o l o r ,a p p l i e di n p a r tw i t ha p a l e t t e
k n i f e .l t i s b y t h i sm e a n st h a tt h e c a n v a sc o m e st o a c q u i r ea n e a r l ht e x t u r ea, n
e v o c a t i v eg r o u n df o rt h e o r g a n i cs h a p e sa n d l u m i n o u sp a s s a g e ss e tu p o no r i n t oi l .
 .1
T h e p a i n t i n g so f t h e 9 6 0 s h a v et h e d e l i c a c y ,e v e n f r a g i l i t y o, f t h e i rt i t l e s :
DescendingLight; Garden of Light; Nature Patina;SilverDew;Veil;Linescape:
G / o wN e s t ;S e r e n ea n d A l o o f; M e t a m o r p h o s i sH . e r b e r tR e a dh a s d e s c r i b e d
K e p e s ' sp a i n t i n g sa s " p o o l so f s t i l l n e s sa, r e a so f e n t r a n c e m e n l .T" y p i c a l l yt,h e r r
a c o n t a i n e da r e ao f f i e r yc o l o r ,o r o f l i g h t ,b u r g e o n i n go u to f a d r y ,b r o w ng r o u n d
t h e l a t e I 9 6 0 sm o r es p e c i if c s y m b o l so r m a r k i n g se m e r g e ,s u c ha s t h e a r r o w si r
G / o wN e s t a n d U n t i t l e d w , h i l ei n t h e 1 9 7 0 sg e o m e t r i c a fl i g u r e sa r e s e t o u t m o r e
f o r c e f u l l yI.n s o m e h e u s e s a g r i d o f l i n e s ,b e h i n dw h i c h l i e p a t t e r n sa n d t e x t u r e s
i n A m e t h y s lS t a l n( 1 9 7 0 ) .I n w o r k ss u c h a s S o m b e rC i r c l e( 1 9 7 7 ) ,b l u e s
p r e d o m i n a t es,a t u r a t e dt o n e sa g a i n s w t h i c ha r e s e t s h a r p l yd e l i n e a t e fdo r m so r
f,t*
i m a g e sT . h e r ei s a r e c u r r e ntth e m eo f a c i r c l eo f b r o k e nl i n e s S . o m e t i m e sK, e p e
i n t r o d u c e sf r a g m e n t so f p h o t o g r a p h sn, e w s p a p e rc l i p p i n g s ,X - r a y so f a b o d y ,a
a c r o s s w o r dp u z z l e .G l o w W h e e l s( 1 9 7 3 ) ,p i c t u r e st w o w h e e l s ,o n e b a l a n c e do n
o f l h e o t h e r ,p l a c e db e f o r ea s m o l d e r i n gl a n d s c a p el h a t b u r n si t s w a y a c r o s st h
f i g u r a t i o -n p e r h a p sa m e t a p h o fro r t h e b a l a n c eo f o r d e r ,g e o m e t r ya n d
d e s t r u c t i o nP, y t h a g o r a sG a r d e n( 1 9 7 7 ) ,c o n t r a s t sa v i s u a lp r o o {o f u n i v e r s a l
g e o m e t r i c / m a t h e m a tri e clationship w i t h t h e i m a g e o f a g a r d e nt h a t K e p e s
u n d e r s t a n dass " t h e s y m b o l i cs y s t e m l e s rsi c h n e s so f t h ew o r l d ,t h e o r g a n i c
. "g a l n s ta v i v i dm a g e n t a / r e d / o r a n fgi e l di s l a i dr
v i b r a t i o no f c o l o ri n t e r a c t i o n A
r e c t a n g l ep, r e d o m i n a n t lbyl u e i g r e e n / b r o winn,w h i c hi s c e n t e r e dt h e P y t h a g o r r
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Lar"4 t h e ma r es l i g h t r a c i n g sa, s i n a f o r c ef i e l d .T h en e w l a n d s c a p ei n K e p e ' sp a i n t i n r
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t""n'J"+n; h i sw o r k ,a s m e d i a t o br e t w e e ne y e a n d w o r l d ,f i l t e r i n ga n d f r a m i n ga, n i n s t r u m (
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T h e e y e i s a p r e d o m i n a ni mt a g e ,t h e c a m e r a ' sa n a l o g u ei s t h e e y e , sa c c o m p l
FromtheG.K.notebooks T h e r ei s a p h o t o gr a p ht a k e ni n c h i c a g o i n 1g 3 8 o I J u l i e tw i t ha o e a c o c kf e a t h e r

1R
Artistsa generationbeforeus recognizedlhe
needfor a new frameof reterencefor their
creative vision.Theyweredreamingof new
creative ways to projecttheirresponsesto the
newvistas.Painters, photographers
makershad beenstrugglingto find valid new
idiomswithwhichto bringspace and lightinlo
a livingfocus Magnilicienlartisticstatements
weremadewithpigmentson canvasor
recordedwithlighton photosensitive
Nevertheless, artistswerefrustratedand
tantalized becausethe limitsof theirmedia
narrowed and condensedthe explosiverange
of theexperiences. Neededwerea new scale
of toolsand a new scaleof selting.Only by
acceptinglightas autonomous,
luminosity thatcan be molded,shapedand
forrnedwiththe same limitlessplaslicityas
theclayin whichsculptorsmodel,could the
artisthopeto lind a validcorrespondence
betweenhis new scaleof experienceand his
artisticexpressionof it.And onlya spatial
surrounding thatis generousenoughin scale
to shelterthe explosive,luminoustoolscould
providean adequatebackground.The
isolated, shellered,smallspaceof a roomat
homeor in a museumis suftocatingly
lor the fluidpowerof lightin action.The new,
richintensilies of artificial lightsources,if used
crealively, mustbe woveninlo the bigger
fabricof the nightcityscapeThe mirroringol
the shopwindowsand the interpenetrAtion
o f m o b i l ev i s t a sw
, i t ht h e i rc o n l i n u o u s
transformations ol space and lorm,mustbe
acceptedas backgroundfor a creative{igure
shapedby the movtngcontoursof actual
trgnts.
"Creating withLight,"Arl in America48 (Winter
1 9 6 0 )8 2
Excerpts
s.,Jr,r:1ed
byGyorgy
Kepes
E y ei s s u p e r i m p o s eodn e y e .T h e r ei s a t h e m a t i cp l a yo f f o r m sa n d s h a d o w si n J u l i e t
i n S h a d o wC a g e ( 1 9 3 9 ) i n w h i c hh e r h e a d i s p l a c e dw i t h i na t h r e e - d i m e n s i o n a l
f r a m e .T h e f r a m ec a s t sa s h a d o wo n h e r f a c e ; h e r f a c e c a s t s a s h a d o wo n t h e
b a c k g r o u n dh; e r h a i ri s b o t hf i g u r ea n d s h a d o w c, o n t r a s t i n w g i t ht h e g e o m e t r i c
and film
. h i sp h o t o g r a p ha p p e a r ss i m u l t a n e o u spl ye r s o n aal n d s t r u c t u r aT
l i n e sT l h e r ea r e
a l s o s o m e a b s t r a c ts l u d i e so l l o r m a n d l i g h t ,s u c h a s F l u i d P a t t e r n sa n d O p l l c a l
Tran sfo r m at ions,bothoI 1 942,Mag n etic Pattern ( 1938), artdCalIi g r ap hic Lig ht Play
( 19 4 8 )
film
N a t u r ei s t h e s o u r c eo f K e p e s ' sp h o t o g r a p h iicm a g e sa s w e l la s h i s p a i n t i n g sO. n e
m i g h t s a y t h a t h i s w o r k i s a b o u tt h e f o u r b a s i ce l e m e n t s :
Earth:
h i sc e l e b r a l i o o n f n a t u r et;h e h e r ea n d n o w ;t h e s a n d g r o u n do f h i s p a i n t i n g se; a r t h
m a t e r i a l layn d m e t a p h o r i c a l l y
as plastlc Air:
t h e m e d i a t i n ge l e m e nllo r l i g h t
Fire:
a p r e d o m i n a n itm a g ei n h i s p a i n t i n g a , n d t h e t h e m eo l h i s p r o j e c lF l a m eO r c h a r d ,
l s s o c i a l i o n-s P r o m e t h e u se,n l i g h t e n m e nflo, r c e ,h a r n e s s e d
f i r ew i t ha l l i t s p r i m a a
e n e r g y ,p o t e n t i adl e s t r u c t i v e n e s s
Water:
t h e s c e n el o r u r b a nc e l e b l a l i o n st h; e w a t e rp u r i l i c a t i opnl a n 1h, i s p r o j e c fl o r a w a l e r
g a r d e n ,t h e p r o p o s e dg a t e w a yl o B o s t o nH a r b o r
narrow K e p e sc o n v e y sa p o e t ' se n c o u n t ew r i t ht h e v i s u a el l e m e n t so f n a t u r ea n d s c i e n c e ,
g i v i n ga p e r s o n a lm e a n i n gt o o b l e c t i v ei o r c e sa s d o m y t h o l o g i e sa n d f o l kt a l e s .
K e p e si s a v i s i o n a r ay n d s e e ro f i m a g e s .H e e n v i s i o n e w d a y sf o r t h e p o t e n t i a l
u n i f i c a t i oonl o u r r e s p o n S teo n a t u r et h r o u g ha r ta n d s C i e n c eT. h e n e e di s a s u r g e n l
\
a s e v e r W h a ta l l o w sh i mt o c o n t i n u ew i t ht h e s t r u g g l ei s , a s S i g fr i e dG i e d i o nh a s
o b s e r v e d ", t h e c o n f i d e n c eo f I K e p e s ' s g] e n e r a t i o w
n h i c hf e l tc a l l e du p o nt o h e a l
t h e b r e a c hb e t w e e nt h e i n n e ra n d o u l e rr e a l i t y . "
K e p e sh a s k e p tf a i t hi n t h a tc o n fi d e n c e .I n B u d a p e s tC , h l c a g oa n d C a m b r i d g eh, e
c o n t r i b u t e tdo t h e c r e a t i o no f c o m m u n i t i eosf s h a r e dv i s i o n .I n o r d e rt o s u s t a i nt h e
c o o p e r a t i v ec o l l a b o r a t i o on f t h e l a s tt h i r t yy e a r s ,h e h a s f o u n ds t r e n g l ha n d r e n e w a l
i n t h e s o l i t a r yi n t r o s p e c l i oonf p a i n t i n g .
J u d i t hW e c h s l e r
F e l l o wC, e n t e rf o r A d v a n c e dV i s u a S
l tudies
19