Various.

[LATVIAN CONSTRUCTIVISM AND CUBISM IN BERLIN – INTERNATIONAL AVANT-GARDE] Laikmets [Contemporary times], no. 3 (of four published).

Berlin: Izdevniecība "Latvijas telnieks", 1923. Quarto (28.5 × 21.5 cm). Original staple-stitched pictorial wrappers on light orange stock; [2], 51–69, [3] pp. Nineteen reproductions, including several full-page plates; printed on good paper stock. Wrappers somewhat soiled, with chipping to upper left corner also affecting block; staples renewed; leaves somewhat wavy from old moisture damage; else internally clean and about very good. Item #55504

Single issue of this exceedingly uncommon, yet highly important Latvian avant-garde journal published in Berlin, which stands as one of the key documents on the Latvian avant-garde and a testament to the Latvian contribution to the dynamic international art world of 1920s Berlin. With four issues published from January to April 1923, the journal was edited by Karlis Zale (also known as Zalite and Zalit; 1888–1942) and Arnolds Dzirkals (1896–1944). Zale was a Latvian sculptor who lived and studied in Moscow and worked in Berlin from 1921–23 before returning to Latvia. Both Zale and Dzirkals were part of the international community of avantgardists active in Berlin in the early 1920s, which included Kandinsky, El Lissitzky, Puni, and Archipenko, among others: "[in Berlin] finden sich Anfang der zwanziger Jahre häufig lettische Künstler ein, um sich an den dortigen Kunstaustellungen zu beteiligen ... und um Gemeinschaftsausstellungen mit verschiedenen deutschen Avantgarde-Gruppen zu veranstalten (zum Beispiel die "Rigaer Künstlergruppe" mit der "Novembergruppe"). ... Der Bildhauer Karlis Zale ... der sich als Teilnehmer der ersten Ausstellung russischer Avantgarde-Kunst in der Van Diemen Galerie in Berlin aufhält... gründete die lettischsprachige Zeitschrift für Avantgarde-Kunst "Laikmets" (Nr. 1-4/1923). Fast alle weltweit bedeutenden Künstler und Kunsttheoretiker, die der synthetischen Avantgarde zuzurechnen sind, wirkten daran mit. Bereits 1922 verteidigte Karlis Zale gemeinsam mit Jaan (Ivan) Puni diese Kunstkonzeption gegenüber den Vertretern der analytischen Avantgarde auf dem ersten und vorerst einzigen Weltkongreß der Avantgarde-Kunst in Düsseldorf" (Baltinavietis 13).

The issues all features the same accomplished Constructivist wrapper illustration, as well as occasional smaller vignettes throughout, most likely by Konrad Ubans (1893–1981), later known as a Latvian painter of the Academy. This issue contains articles on and reproductions of work by Voldemars Matvejs, Hans Poelzig, André Derain, Konrad Ubans, and Moise Kisling; Andrejs Kurcijs's text "Activism and Kantianism", an article on Charlie Chaplin and American film, and reviews of books and exhibitions.

As of January 2026, KVK, OCLC only show one holding in the Netherlands and one complete run in North America. Not held by the Berlin State Library.

Price: €1,800.00

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