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Russian
Constructivism
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There were two main strands of Constructivism: INTERNATIONAL CONSTRUCTIVISM (aka European Constructivism) Gabo and Pevsner wrote the Realistic Manifesto in 1920. They did not agree with the Soviet Constructivists that all art must be for Marxist political purposes. They identified the main formal features of Constructivist sculpture as:
Naum Gabo (1890-1977) - born Naum Pevsner Co-creator
of the Realistic Manifesto, sculptor and painter. Did works in new
materials such as Perspex and other plastics. Antoine Pevsner (1884-1962) Brother
of Naum, worked in metals and plastics. |
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SOVIET CONSTRUCTIVISM (aka Russian Constructivism, Productivist School) The Soviet Constructivists wanted art to be absorbed in industrial production and invented the following terms: TECTONIC
- the whole idea, the fundamental conception of the work based on
social use and expedient materials. Vladimir Tatlin (1885-1953) Painter,
sculptor. Passionate believer in the grand Communist cause. Designed
the "Monument to the Third International" in 1919-20,
which was supposed to be the USSR's answer to the Eiffel Tower -
but bigger, better... and impossible to build so it never was...
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Aleksandr
Rodchenko
(1891-1956) - also called Alexander Varvara
Stepanova (1884-1958) |
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SUPREMATISTS Perhaps ironically, one of the leading figures of the Constructivist movement worked in a very independant way, and therefore doesn't really fit comfortably into either of the abovementioned streams. In fact, he called what he did Suprematism, not Constructivism. Kasimir Malevich (1878-1935) also called Kazimir Malevich. Most
remembered for his famous ground-breaking Modernist paintings such as
the much copied "White on White" and "Black Square".
Also
the designer of a nice tea-set, "exclusively" available from
a number of online sources: "Kasimir
Malevich shows teapots can even be political with his “Suprematist Teapot
and Three Cups.” The Russian artist founded the Suprematist movement,
which sought to free art from the burden of the object. When critics
complained his teapot didn’t pour well, he replied, “It is not a teapot,
but the idea of one.” Malevich also dabbled in architecture with his "Architecton" models, although I'm doubtful any building he designed ever actually got built. kmtspace.com/suprematist-arch.htm Over
his very long career, his painting style varied a great deal. |
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El Lissitzky (1890-1941) Typographer,
book designer and architect. Theorist on Modernism, and often collaborated
on projects with Malevich. Examples
of Constructivist architecture can be seen at: |
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Contextual factors to consider:
Some key technical innovations:
Meanwhile, in Fine Art:
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all
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