Constructivism | Articles on Contemporary Art Movements

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Constructivism was first inspired when the Russian sculptor Vladimir Tatlin visited Paris in 1913, and saw the Cubist works of Pablo Picasso. It also has distinct connections with Futurism, De Stijl, Suprematism and Bauhaus (where some Constructivists taught). Constructivism is often seen as originating from a strand of Futurism in Russia. On return to Russia Tatlin began constructing entirely abstract sculptures using scrap and industrial materials. What became key to Constructivism as its popularity spread, first in Russia and then beyond, was the connection of industry and machinery bonded together usually into an abstract, often three-dimensional form.
With fellow artist Alexander Rodchenko, Constructivism was founded, it is thought during or near to 1915, although the first Constructivist manifesto did not appear until 1921, from Moscow, after a division within the group had occurred after Naum Gabo, a prominent Constructivist, publicly criticised Tatlins Monument to the Third International (often referred to as 'Tatlin's Tower', a model for a building of government offices that, had it been built full size, would have risen higher than the Eiffel Tower. A glorious monument to the Russian Revolution). This led Tatlin and Alexander Rodchenko to work under the title 'Productivism' instead. Productivism re-asserted the role of art, as related to social change and industry.
Constructivism was art with a social purpose, connected to it's society and intended to educate. It distanced itself from mysticism, and being about the artist as an individual. Constructivism could be seen as a cold, hasher, more objective art than most. Its style is likewise bare, harsh and direct. It was art for a changing political time, and increased need in the Russian people to be stable and aware socially. Technology was starting to look larger than nature. Machinery was growing in size and number, and increasingly dominating the landscape. The Constructivist artist's focus on machinery, and mechanical mathematical form, is linked to it's effect on the population and their need to adapt to this change.
Various materials were used in Constructivist art, often using basic shapes such as squares, circles, triangles and straight lines. Two-dimensional Constructivist art often featured large areas of flat colour, only broken by geometric line. Constructivist typography is recognisable by its lettering, and angling words at right angles to each other, often interjecting each other.
Constructivism came from a time of radical change and upheaval, mirroring what was happening in the world around Russia as well, and in art internationally. Constructivism's popularity grew following the 1917 Russian Revolution. Constructivism is apparent in Russian political posters.
From Russia, Constructivism spread westward in to Europe, eventually becoming popular across the world, particularly Latin America. Much Constructivist activity in Europe outside of Russia occurred in Germany, where it's success continued into the 1950's. Constructivism's influence is apparent in much stage design and advertising of the era.
A major work of the Constructivist Post-Revolution era is Vladimir Shukhov's Radio Tower, built in 1922 and used by Lenin to broadcast from. It is still used today. In the 30's and 40's Gabo influenced a Constructivist approach to architecture, influential in Post-War art and architecture in Britain. Constructivism's decline really started in Russia in the 1920's as the avant-garde was less favoured by the Bolshevik regime. However, in Germany in particular, Constructivism continued to grow, and influenced many western artists and art movements that followed.
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