Earth Group
Encyclopedia
The Earth Group was a Croatian arts collective and which brought together artists, architects and intellectuals and which was active in Zagreb
from 1929 to 1935. The group aimed to defend their artistic independence against foreign influences such as Impressionism
or Neoclassicism
and Art for art's sake
. They maintained that art should mirror the social milieu from which it springs and should meet contemporary needs, hence their emphasis on the popularization of art, both at home and abroad. In spite of its ideologically heterogeneous membership, the group was considered Marxist
in orientation but never espoused Socialist realism
.
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
from 1929 to 1935. The group aimed to defend their artistic independence against foreign influences such as Impressionism
Impressionism
Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based artists whose independent exhibitions brought them to prominence during the 1870s and 1880s...
or Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
and Art for art's sake
Art for art's sake
"Art for art's sake" is the usual English rendering of a French slogan, from the early 19th century, l'art pour l'art, and expresses a philosophy that the intrinsic value of art, and the only "true" art, is divorced from any didactic, moral or utilitarian function...
. They maintained that art should mirror the social milieu from which it springs and should meet contemporary needs, hence their emphasis on the popularization of art, both at home and abroad. In spite of its ideologically heterogeneous membership, the group was considered Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
in orientation but never espoused Socialist realism
Socialist realism
Socialist realism is a style of realistic art which was developed in the Soviet Union and became a dominant style in other communist countries. Socialist realism is a teleologically-oriented style having its purpose the furtherance of the goals of socialism and communism...
.
Members and guests
- Founding members of the group: sculptors Antun AugustinčićAntun AugustincicAntun Augustinčić was a prominent Croatian sculptor. Along with Ivan Meštrović and Frano Kršinić he is considered one of the three most important Croatian sculptors of the 20th century...
and Frano KršinićFrano KršinićFrano Kršinić was a renowned Croatian sculptor. Along with Ivan Meštrović and Antun Augustinčić he is considered one of the three most important Croatian sculptors of the 20th century...
; painters Vinko Grdan, Krsto HegedušićKrsto HegedušicKrsto Hegedušić was a Croatian painter, illustrator and theater designer. His most famous paintings depict the harsh life of the Croatian peasantry in the manner of naive art...
, Leo Junek, Omer Mujadžić, Oton Postružnik, Kamilo Ružička and Ivan TabakovićIvan TabakovicIvan Tabaković was an Austro-Hungarian-born Serbian painter.Born in Arad, Hungary , he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Budapest, and afterwards, at the Royal Academy of Applied Arts in Zagreb. In the autumn of 1922, he left for Munich, only temporarily interrupting his studies in Zagreb...
; and the architect Drago IblerDrago IblerDrago Ibler was a Croatian architect and pedagogue.His style can be described as pure simplicity and functional architecture....
(who also served as the group's chairman).
- Members who later joined the group: Marijan Detoni, Ivan GeneralićIvan GeneralicIvan Generalić was a Croatian naïve art painter.Generalić was born in Hlebine near Koprivnica. In elementary school, painting lessons were his greatest joy and as a child he used to earn money...
, Željko Hegedušić, Fedor Vaić, Vilim Svečnjak, Edo Kovačević, Branka Hegedušić-Frangeš, Ernest Tomašević, Lavoslav Horvat, Stjepan PlanićStjepan PlanicStjepan Planić was a Croatian architect. His style can be described as a synthesis of functionalist and organic architecture.-Biography:...
and Mladen Kauzlarić.
- Guest artists whose works were shown at some of the group's exhibitions: Otti Berger, Petar Franjić, Drago Galić, Stjepan Gomboš, Aleksander Mikloš, Franjo MrazFranjo MrazFranjo Mraz was a notable Croatian artist. Together with Ivan Generalić and Mirko Virius, he is considered a founder of Croatian naive art. His most famous paintings are "Oranje" and "Zima" ....
, Josip Pičman, Danilo Raušević, Petar Smajić, and Zdenko Strižić.
Exhibitions
- 1st Exhibition (as Udruženje umjetnika Zemlja) at Salon Ulrich in Zagreb, 1929
- 2nd Exhibition (as L'Association artistique "Zemlja") at Gelerie Billiet in Paris, 1931
- 3rd Exhibition (as Udruženje umjetnika Zemlja) at Umjetnički paviljonArt PavilionThe Art Pavilion in Zagreb is an art gallery in Zagreb, Croatia. The Pavilion is located in the Lower Town area of the city, south of Nikola Šubić Zrinski Square and just north of the King Tomislav Square with the Main Train Station...
in Zagreb, 1932 - 4th Exhibition (as Udruženje umjetnika Zemlja) at Umjetnički paviljon in Zagreb, 1934
- 5th Exhibition (as Družestvo Zemlja - Zagreb) at Galerija Preslav in SofiaSofiaSofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, 1934 - 6th Exhibition (as Udruženje umjetnika Zemlja) at Umjetnički paviljon Cvijete Zuzorić in BelgradeBelgradeBelgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, 1935