Modernism was a self-conscious reactionary movement to social, political and industrial changes around the turn of the twentieth century. This movement spread across the arts, and revealed itself within those arts in a kaleidoscope of ways. In this essay I intend to discuss three modern artefacts; “The De La Warr Pavilion” designed by the architect’s Mendelsohn & Chermayeff, the work “Woman with Fans (Nina de Callas)” by Manet and the design “Les mots en liberté futuristes” by the Futurist leader Marinetti. My examination is intended to reveal why these works are modern and not traditional representations of the time. For reference, images of the pieces discussed are found in Appendix A.

Architecture: The De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill-on-Sea

Classical buildings were ornate, highly decorative reflections of historical structures. Most had little separation between

In this essay we have seen the way in which the reaction to the processes and consequences of modernisation, through modernism, have manifested themselves through the arts: architecture – social and utilitarian, art – reactionary self consciousness and design – liberation and non-linearity. While all the pieces examined share in common liberation from the past and reconnection with the future.

This painting depicts the subject, Nina de Callas, in a lounging pose, featured in landscape at near full length and at life size. The woman is gazing out to engage an imaginary spectator’s eye – the subject and the viewer becoming involved in an imaginary conversation. Three years later (1876), E Carolus Duran created a painting deemed acceptable for the official Salon to display entitled “Mademoiselle de Lancey”, a painting nearly identical in form to Manet’s piece.

Some topics in this essay:
Carolus Duran, Manifesto Futurism, Warr Pavilion, Tommaso Marinetti, Mendelsohn Chermayeff, Architects' Journal, , Callas” Manet, De Callas”, Futurism Futurists, la warr, mots en liberté, en liberté futuristes”, “les mots, en liberté, mots en, de la, nina de, “les mots en, liberté futuristes”, de la warr, fans nina de, modernist ideals, self awareness, salon refusé,