Constructivism

Constructivism

             The Constructivism Movement is a movement that has Russian origins. It primarily started out as an art and architectural movement. Its philosophy was to ‘reject the idea of art for art’s sake’. It was directed as a practice of art for societies use and to make change. It started developing after World War 2 thus it encouraged people to change their views into rebuilding a new society on a ‘Utopian’ model. The movement influenced a lot of the arts such as the ones mentioned above and others like theatre, film and even music!

            The term ‘Constructivist Art’ started when Kasmir Malevich used it in reference to describe the art of Alexander Rodchenko. In Constructivism, the elements which contained graphic design and its influences were a lot so much that they extended from product packaging to book covers and movie posters.

Alexander Rodchenko:

He was born in Russia in 1891 and was an artist, sculptor, photographer and graphic designer. His graphic design works involved advertising and packaging. He was greatly influenced by his surroundings and what was happening around in the world at that time, mainly by the Russian Revolution. He was one of the most important artists of that time and also a member of the ‘Productivists’ of which their aim was to push the introduction of art in the normal everyday use of life. When he first started out, his main focus was painting but then he delved into the further experimentation of photomontage and photography. A great deal of his work was for a Russian airline company called Dobrolet. After that he started designing book covers and bookmarks; later on he made photomontages and illustrations for theatre companies throughout Russia and even made costume design. The art of Rodchencko also inspired many artists work. Throughout the years Rodchenko’s art became an enormous inspiration to other artists, mainly located in the western world such as Jan Tschichold.

Kurt Schwitters:

Kurt Schwitters was an artist that was primarily associated with the Dada Art Movement but also had a crucial part in the Constructivists and Surrealists Movement. Like Rodchenko he also experimented in the same fields which then led him to influence the art world with his artistic style of collages which spread throughout the U.S. and Europe. After World War I ended he became less active in the Constructivist and Surrealist and went to join the German Dada movement. When he was in the Dada he published a journal by the name of Merz which contained a great amount of his most influential works in graphic design.

Kurt Schwitters : Design Is History. 2014. Kurt Schwitters : Design Is History. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.designishistory.com/1920/kurt-schwitters/. [Accessed 02 November 2014].

Constructivism : Design Is History. 2014. Constructivism : Design Is History. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.designishistory.com/1920/constructivism/. [Accessed 02 November 2014].

Constructivism Movement, Artists and Major Works | The Art Story. 2014.Constructivism Movement, Artists and Major Works | The Art Story. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.theartstory.org/movement-constructivism.htm. [Accessed 02 November 2014].