The Infinity of Space

Among the radical innovations in 20th-century art is a new understanding of pictorial space. In previous centuries, with the invention of central perspective, the image was understood as an “open window,” a view into another world. Modernism, on the other hand, began to move beyond illusionistic painting and instead redefined the relationship between the image and reality. From Expressionism through Dada to Surrealism, pictorial space became highly emotionally charged: Steep angles of view, disjointed perspectives, and claustrophobic framings culminate in dynamic spaces that straddle the line between intimate interiors and urban exteriors. At the same time, Suprematism and Constructivism marked the dissolution of any representational content. Visions of cosmic infinity and technological progress create utopian spaces and architectures that allow us to imagine a new, better life. The intersections between architecture, painting, and sculpture were further negotiated and re-explored in the second half of the 20th century.