«Exprimatics», 1915 - 1920
«Aristography», 1914-1927

Chernikhov’s graphic-analytical studies of geometric ornaments led him to the idea that the further development of that form of art (which at that time had become an overly refined type of versification) could occur only with the transition to a new, more complex level of rhythm-building and composition. Such were the “rhythm of proportions” which replaced the “rhythm of repetition” that dominated classical form and its derivatives and “asymmetry,” which replaced previously reigning “symmetry”.
But especially important was the emergence of quite new subjects of buildings – static, dynamic, structural and others. The author called this new kind of graphic art “Exprimatics” (derived from the French word exprimation – the best method of expressing). He defined exprimatism as the graphic method expressing various presentations about structural essence of this or that subject by means of geometrical forms.

Parallel with “Exprimatics” Iakov Chernikhov worked out the cycle “Aristography” (derived from the Greek word aristo – the most beautiful, the finest), in which the light and colorful buildings were used as the means for intensification of these or those features of composition, structure and form, and the transition of the factor of spatial characteristics was attained exclusively by colored and tonal combinations.

Having thought over and ppersonalized the basic ideas of pointless buildings, Iakov Chernikhov embodied them with greater originality and internal freedom in his innovative method of teaching graphics. He used experimental approach built on structural analysis, breaking down into simpler problems with subsequent synthesis through the variative combinations of spatial structures.