MA-g
The Museum of Avant-garde

Constructivism

Conceived by Vladimir Tatlin and Alexander Rodchenko around 1915, Constructivism was deeply connected to the concept of modernisation and industrial development in Russia. It was inspired by the idea that an object should be treated as a whole, the result of an industrial process. The artistic expression is freed up from a specific style to become pure technical intervention and organisation of elements and materials. Using simple geometric forms, real life tools, instruments and materials, Constructivism believed that in first instance art was meant to be built, experimenting compositions and collages: its principles got easily applied to painting, sculpture and graphic and textile design. Despite the success of the movement, Constructivism was suppressed in Russia but spread in Europe thanks to Naum Gabo and Antoine Pevsner. It sought to be more relevant than any artistic movement, by representing the Communist ideology, by aligning itself to the fast-paced engineering and industrial context and by conceiving art as a way to serve the masses.

Artists

Josef Albers
Ellen Auerbach
Henryk Berlewi
István Beöthy (Etienne)
Sándor Bortnyik
Victor Brauner
Max Burchartz
Walter Dexel
Naum Gabo
Lajos Kassák
El Lissitzky (Lazar Markovich Lissitzky)
László Moholy-Nagy
Lyubov Popova
Alexander Rodchenko
Stéphane Roll
Paul Schuitema
Henryk Stażewski
Varvara Stepanova
Wladyslaw Strzeminski
Mieczysław Szczuka
Vladimir Tatlin
Solomon Telingater
Béla Uitz
Luigi Veronesi
Alexander Vesnin
Teresa Żarnowerówna