LETTRIST Meaning and
Definition
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Lettrist is a noun that refers to a member or practitioner of the Lettrism movement, an avant-garde artistic movement that emerged in the 1940s. Lettrism, also known as Letterism, is primarily associated with a group of artists and writers who aimed to redefine and revolutionize artistic expression.
Lettrists sought to challenge traditional forms of artistic creation by emphasizing the use of letters, words, and typography as the primary basis for their artworks. They believed that combining text and visual elements could convey new and innovative forms of communication and artistic meaning. This movement aimed to break down the boundaries between visual art, literature, and poetry.
The term "lettrist" describes an individual who actively engages in the practices and philosophies associated with Lettrism. Lettrists are known for their experimental approaches to manipulating and rearranging letters, creating unconventional typographical structures, and redefining the relationships between text and imagery.
Lettrist artworks often involve the deconstruction and recombination of language, dismantling words into individual letters or fragments and recontextualizing them to evoke new and poetic meanings. The movement also explored the dynamics of sound and the sonority of language.
Overall, lettrists sought to challenge conventional notions of art, language, and communication through the disruptive and transformative use of letters, words, and typography. The lettrist movement has influenced subsequent artistic movements such as Concrete Poetry and Fluxus.
Etymology of LETTRIST
The word "lettrist" has its etymology rooted in the French art movement known as "lettrism". Lettrism emerged in the 1940s and 1950s and was primarily focused on the exploration of letters and language as artistic expressions. The movement was initiated by Isidore Isou, a Romanian-born French poet, and artist.
The term "lettrism" is derived from the French word "lettre", which means "letter" in English. It emphasizes the significance of individual letters and their visual and aesthetic qualities. Artists belonging to the lettrism movement deconstructed and rearranged letters, emphasizing their abstract and graphic elements. This revolutionary approach challenged traditional artistic forms and conventions.
From the noun "lettrism", the term "lettrist" emerged as its related adjective, often used to describe artists or practitioners of lettrism.
