Curated by Diana Franssen and Willem Smit

The most famous hundredth birthday this year may be that of the Russian Revolution, but let’s not forget the founding of De Stijl, which is being well marked in its Dutch birthplace. De Stijl means “The Style,” a dogmatic self-designation if ever there was one, yet the movement produced a striking range of work and was, of course,  beset by its share of schisms. (In fact, on August 20, Amsterdam’s Stedelijk closed a show focusing on Chris Beekman, who left the movement out of frustration with its lack of political engagement.) This exhibition, part of the Van Abbemuseum’s centenary celebration, focuses on De Stijl’s eponymous publication, which was published by Theo van Doesburg and featured typography, design, and declarations of the movement’s radical, often utopian aims.

— Harry Cooper