10 Constructivism in Russia and De Stijl

Question 1

Constructivism

Answer 1

An art movement where people started to think more about design as part of art; artists moved around and spread ideas
Influenced by Blast Magazine, De Stijl Magazine, and El Lissitzky
Generally considered the opposite to expressionism
1 - Not any particular branch of art, but art as a whole. Not expressing one’s personal experiences and moods, but looking for a practical application for the creative drive, flowing from the original instinct of art - form follows function
2 - Economic use of material, nothing wasted, propertied of creative things depend on the material
3 - Color is not an ornament or establishment, it is an essential element belonging to architecture
4 - building a thing according to its own principles - does not imitate the machine but finds an equivalent in the machine’s simplicity and logic
5 - Problem of construction rather than problem of form, construction determines form, form has it’s origin in construction

Question 2

De Stijl

Answer 2

Dutch constructivism - assymetrical and rectilinear, humorless stern work made of lines, letters and shapes
Piet Mondrian - getting beyond nature
Theo van Doesburg

Question 3

El Lissitzky

Answer 3

Russian designer who travels with constructivism -> works in abstraction
Moves constructivism to all levels of artistic behavior, works with 3D shapes on a page
Mechanical illustrations
Kunstism - first publication done on a grid
For Two Squares - veiled propaganda piece
Influences work of De Stijl
Innovator in 3D work - installations and exhibit design in galleries, things moving in the exhibits - exhuberent interiors
Paintings and installations made to feel like a 3D painting with things floating in space

Question 4

Alexander Rodchenko and Varvara Stepanova

Answer 4

Married couple; trying to encourage people to read books; have a standard center layout
Logos, posters, posters for films - trying to encourage people to see movies and forget about life
Chairs - trying to make new things that didn’t look like old designs
Propaganda

Question 5

Theo van Doesburg

Answer 5

De Stijl Artist, Secret Dada artist, De Stijl magazine

Had influence on the Bauhaus