Artist: Arnold Schoenberg
Date: 1927
Size: 21 x 26 cm
Museum: Arnold Schönberg Center (Vienna, Austria)
Technique: Drawing
The creative act of the designer consists of breaking away from tradition in favour of a more functional product, and its value only results from the increased efficiency of the objects. This is particularly true of Schönberg’s ideas for the improvement of the urban infrastructure and of his machine designs. The shape of his ticket for the Berlin tram system from the year 1927 is surprisingly round. The ticket permits travel in all directions, is valid for a certain period of time and is supposed to enable passengers to change more easily between different trams as the prestamped tickets are bought before they start their journey. The concentric circles signify days of the week, the radial lines indicate the time of day. The ticket controller only needs to mark the day and hour when the passenger gets in, without having to deal with any other tickets. On 12 January 1927 Schönberg sent the design with a rather unclear handwritten comment by post to the management of Berlin tram company. In his brief, indifferent accompanying letter he wrote that he could “supply suggestions if needed.” Schönberg signed the letter “yours faithfully” – and never heard any more about it.
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