The term concrete art was coined by the Dutch artist Theo van Doesburg in 1930 referring to
works of art that are exclusively based on purely plastic elements such as color line and
plane thereby forming an independent concrete reality. Accompanied by a new interest in how we
perceive and process visual impressions insights from perception psychology have been
artistically explored to create dynamic and 'living' images. Over the past 50 years the
Norwegian art collector Erling Neby has built an extraordinary collection of geometric and
concrete art. Encompassing European American and Nordic art the main focus is on works from
the post-war years including leading figures such as Victor Vasarely Max Bill Auguste Herbin
Josef Albers Aase Texmon Rygh and Olle Bærtling as well as new generations of artists who in
different ways use a geometric-abstract form of expression. This catalogue documents a major
exhibition at the Kode Art Museum in Bergen featuring more than 100 works from the collection
which-through its truly personal selection-offers a complex picture of artistic positions and
the impact of geometric and concrete art.
