Max Bill was one of the greatest protagonists of the Concrete Art movement. The term was coined by Theo van Doesburg. This art is called concrete because it deals with solid forms which stand for themselves. They do not take from nature, nor are they abstractions. They are basic forms which are manipulated to divide, vary and construct the pictorial plane. Hence the Constructivist side of it.

Max Bill's work is well-known. Some background notes: At the end of the 20's, Bill was encountering works by Piet Mondrian (the DeStijl group) and Moholy-Nagy (Russian Constructivism) that were shown in Bauhaus classes. In the 30's, Concrete Constructivist art was considered the continuation of Bauhaus theories. These were transformed with lasting results abroad (Vantongerloo, Albers) as well as in germany. Whether in the realm of painting, industrial design or architecture, Concrete art had eliminated the freehand, intuitive gesture. Concrete artists saw their work as: 'pure human creation sharply distinct from all forms of observation.' They remained children of their times in their belief in technological advance, a belief which characterized the 60's. Constructivist theories had a stimulating effect on Kinetics, Op-Art and 'ars multiplicata', and spread to advertising and information technology.

Bill drew up a formal canon of logic with an ideal of beauty based on the laws of form and function, color and tone, relations and mass. The Bauhaus theories reach all the way back to the days of the german Werkbund. Max Bill brought a lasting Constructivist influence to Switzerland as well. Looking back on Itten and Taeuber-Arp, Zurich had become a center of Concrete art in the 40's. The Zurich School of Concrete art was led by Max Bill, Camille Graeser, Verena Loewensberg and Richard Lohse. Function was combined with spiritual beauty. This combination was to characterize Swiss commercial art.

After returning from germany in 1929, Bill maintained contact above all with France. In 1935 at the age of 25, he had taken part in his first exhibit in Paris. In 1938 he exhibited his '15 Variationen über ein Thema' (15 Variations o a Theme) in Paris. His encounter with Marcel Duchamp and his 'roto-reliefs', shown to him by Antoine Pevsner, reinforced his belief in his own theories. Bill worked with the concept of color quantities. His eye for perfection in all parts and a most carefully considered aesthetic balance characterize his works including his prints. The surface qualities of graphic means and the reproducing nature suited Bill. This is reflected in his paintings and, from the very beginning, in his plastic works, in his cubes, spheres and columns. (ek)