Constructivism and Alexander Rodchenko

Mossel' prom (Moscow Agricultural Industry) cafeteria
1923




The Battleship Potemkin
1926




Poster for the publishing house Gosizdat
(portrait of Lilya Brik shouting out the word "books")
1924

Constructivism was an artistic and architectural movement that originated in Russia from 1919 onward which rejected the idea of "art for art's sake" in favour of art as a practice directed towards social purposes. Constructivism as an active force lasted until around 1934, having a great deal of effect on developments in the art of the Weimar Republic and elsewhere, before being replaced by Socialist Realism. Its motifs have sporadically recurred in other art movements since. Constructivism was a post-World War I outgrowth of Russian Futurism.

Constructivist art is committed to complete abstraction with a devotion to modernity, where themes are often geometric, experimental and rarely emotional. Objective forms carrying universal meaning were far more suitable to the movement than subjective or individualistic forms. Constructivist themes are also quite minimal, where the artwork is broken down to its most basic elements. New media was often used in the creation of works, which helped to create a style of art that was orderly. An art of order was desirable at the time because it was just after WWI that the movement arose, which suggested a need for understanding, unity and peace.

Alexander Rodchenko, along with many other Contructivists, designed pieces that demanded attention by featuring bright colors, bold lettering, and geometric shapes. His pieces clean and simplistic, featuring basic geometric shapes. Yet at the same time his pieces shout, which is characteristic of the constructivism movement.

Rodchenko often takes his own pictures that he then uses in his posters. Rodchenko utilizes bright colors, illustrations, and a blocky font in most of his pieces. He always incorporates shapes into his designs. The colors he uses insure that the main focus of the poster stands out. The composition of his works is very clean, you know exactly where to look so there is no confusion in the composition.