Exploring Modern Art: Constructivism Movement Analysis and Impact

This essay delves into the Constructivism art movement, which emerged in 20th-century Russia, emphasizing construction over traditional art. It explores the movement's roots in Cubism, Futurism, and Suprematism, and its goal to transform society through art. The essay analyzes the movement's impetus, key figures such as Vladimir Tatlin, Aleksandr Rodchenko, and El Lissitzky, and the solutions it proposed, including mass production of designs and expressing modern life's dynamism. It examines the influence of the Bolshevik Revolution and the doctrine of Socialist Realism on the movement's development, as well as its impact on literature and fashion. The essay highlights Vladimir Tatlin's contributions, including his iconic Tatlin Tower, and the works of Nick Cave, which draw inspiration from Constructivism's principles. The essay references various sources to support its analysis of this influential art movement.

Running head: MODERN ART MOVEMENT- CONSTRUCTIVISM
Modern Art Movement- Constructivism
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1Modern Art Movement- Constructivism
Constructivism:
One of the most popular and influential modern art movement is Constructivism that
emerged during 20th Century, in Russia. The focus of Constructivism was to abolish the
traditional art of Concern and replace it with Construction. It was developed from its
predecessors that are, Cubism, Futurisms and Supermantism and focused on to put an end on
the modern Communist Society (Thompson. 2015). It involved a technological analysis of the
modern materials and though was started in Russia, but was spread mong Europe within a
few years of time. Along with carrying out the analysis of the materials and forms of art, it
also ventured out to express the artist’s outlook and analysis of the world with a fundamental
analysis of the modern material, such as glass, wood and metal (Groys. 2014). The idea was
to turn the ideas and forms if designs into mass production, with a desire to express the
archetypal experience, dynamism of modern life and to address the disorientations of time
and space of the modern times.
Impetus of the movement. Key figures of the Movement. Solutions propounded by the
movement.
The Constructivist movement of art emerged during the age of mass production and
machines and with Bolshevik Revolution that introduced the concept of revolution of
agriculture with the emergence and inclusion of technology in the agriculture. The imposition
of the doctrine of Socialist Realism by Lenin created the political impetus for the movement
(Raunig. 2014). From the cultural perspective, Constructivist movement influenced the
existing literature and fashion. They critically analysed the existing culture and incorporated
modern ideas that were aligned with the existing social system (Dragon. 2015).
Constructivist movement started with the works of Vladimir Tatlin, who abandoned the
romantic views literature and tried to break the monotony of the sculptures. The Tatlin Tower

2Modern Art Movement- Constructivism
or the Third International that was influenced by a piece of sculpture of Paris that had a
contemporary touch. The other key figures of the movement were Aleksandr Rodchenko, a
Russian sculptor, graphic and designer, and her wife Varvara Stepanova. Their marriage
paved the way for a creative and abstract collaboration that gave the movement a new
direction. El Lissitzky, a designer, typographer and architect also made a huge contribution to
the movement. He designed many exhibitions and propagandas for the same (Meecham and
Sheldon. 2013).
The movement started during 1912-1913 with its harbinger Vladimir Tatlin, and came
to sudden end, in Russia, with the death of Lenin in 1924. The movement is characterised by
abstractionism and acceptance of modernity. It was mostly characterised and was very
subjective in orientation. It paired the basic art elements with meanings and fundamental
materials (Mundy, 2013). It called for looking at world peace and unity in a different
modernist perspective. There is a utopian undercurrent in the concept though it tried to break
the monotony of worldview and included newer concepts.
Vladimir Tatlin.
The father figure of the movement was Vladimir Tatlin, a Russian artist who was
profoundly moved by the works of Picasso and his experiment with collaged objects and was
influenced by the Cubo-Futurist movement. On his return to Russia, he made the Tatlin tower
that was inspired by the works of Picasso and was an epitome of abstractionism, the idea of
modernity. This three dimensional piece of wood and metal was kept alongside of Malevich’s
Suprematist paintings, that are called the Last Futurist Exhibition. The monument paved the
way for the seismic social changes that took place afterwards. This utopian design made a
pandemonium situation in the fields of architecture and sculpture and influenced up on, and
even quoted in many future films. He was also the founder member of Soviet Constructivism.

3Modern Art Movement- Constructivism
Many sculptors and artists had been seen to have collaborated with him up on the influence of
his utopian art form which is still, regarded as the symbol of Constructivist Art. He was
ideally the first person ever to introduce the form of 3-D art.
Works of Vladimir Tatlin.
This is the picture of the Vladimir Tatlin or
the ‘Monument to the third International’. It
is regarded as the model for the
International Communist Movement. After
the Bolshevik Movement, the country was
in need of a monument that would appeal
the movement. The monument of the Third
International was a response to this
propaganda. This conveyed the force of the
revolution and displayed the gallantry of the
country. The spiral sculpture displayed the
strength of the country and the revitalization
of the country after the revolution
(Antropov. 2013). Moreover, the abstract
structure of the monument addressed to the
dynamism of the movement.

4Modern Art Movement- Constructivism
The Counter- Relief was made with plaster,
iron and wood that stood in a contrast of his
fascination of metal and wire. The sculpture
is of iron cut in a triangular shape. He used
the real materials to adhere to is belief of
practicality and utilitarianism and was a
portrayal of his relief. He had always seen
art to be a part of the environment. The
sculpture accomplished his idea of liberation
from space, and hence it is called the
Counter- Relief for the sculpture is made of
glass and wood cut in the outward direction.
He wanted to keep his real materials to
adhere the real space to make his counter-
relief belief public (Cepero. 2018). This
confronted the here dimensional aspect
corroded off a perfect private and ideal
world. It was the separated the reality of art
from the reality of life.
Nick Cave:
Nick Cave, an American art, popularly known for his Sound suit art work which he
made as a response to the brutal beating of the Rodney King, in 1991. The concept was
bright coloured and fanciful suits of sonic tapestry. The sound suits are wearable fabric with
bright and whimsical colours that reflect the concept of other world (Dalziell and Welberry.

5Modern Art Movement- Constructivism
2016). In his work there is a profound influence of African traditions of armours, ceremonial
dresses and designed textiles. His works however, are often claimed to be traditionally
feminine. His works express multitude ideas and concepts and uphold the concepts of social
vulnerability, and consequences of social ills. He claims to be vastly inspired by Tatlin and
his works of abstractionism. Though Tatlin’s works were more subtle, Cave works with
vibrant colours and whimsical ideas.
Art Works of Nick Cave:
The “If A Tree Falls” art work of Nick
Cave features wood heads with African
features included with beaded flowers.
This figure is accompanied with a wooden
figure of Eagle that represents the political
scenario of the US. He hands are raised in
defiance and the hands and arms are
clasped together. Other sculptural
assemblages display a clenched fist or a
single finger that is pointed as warning
(Odabasi. 2015). Cavern has developed the
majority of the work in If a Tree Falls
around a lot of themes that he regulates
and diverts toward something cheerful or
cynical, and a comprehension of these
pieces can rapidly tilt from one to the next,
contingent upon the watcher.
His Sound suits are an expressive

6Modern Art Movement- Constructivism
arrangement of non-literal figures that can
be worn and performed. They are on the
double a space of security and protection,
a protecting layer of aggregated materials
and implications that shield the wearer
from the outside world. They anticipate up
and out past the points of confinement of
the body, guaranteeing space for the
potential entertainer or the envisioned
character inside (Williams. 2015). Cavern
has kept on delivering Sound suits with
materials running from antique toys,
souvenirs and collectables, globules,
catches, inflatables, pipe cleaners and
regular designs, tufts, quilts, and
splendidly shaded hair or false fur– a
sensorial cluster of enhancements all
richly and luxuriously dense into single
models.

7Modern Art Movement- Constructivism
References:
Antropov, D.N., 2013. Representation of a technical object in a work of art. Texts, (4), pp.25-
34.
Cepero, I., 2018. Reading Tatlin’s Tower in Socialist Cuba. Art Journal, 77(2), pp.56-75.
Dalziell, T. and Welberry, K. eds., 2016. Cultural Seeds: Essays on the Work of Nick Cave.
Routledge. ODABAŞI, S. 2015. A DESIGN METHOD ON WEARABLE ART.
Dragon, D.A., 2015. Creating cultures of teaching and learning: Conveying dance and
somatic education pedagogy. Journal of Dance Education, 15(1), pp.25-32.
Groys, B., 2014. On art activism. e-flux journal, 56, pp.1-14.
Meecham, P. and Sheldon, J., 2013. Modern art: A critical introduction. Routledge.
Mundy, J., 2013. Lost art: missing artworks of the twentieth century. Tate Publishing.
Raunig, G., 2014. Singers, Cynics, Molecular Mice: The Political Aesthetics of
Contemporary Activism. Theory, Culture & Society, 31(7-8), pp.67-80.
Thompson, C.M., 2015. Constructivism in the art classroom: Praxis and policy. Arts
Education Policy Review, 116(3), pp.118-127.
Williams, B., 2015. Medium and Meaning in Nick Cave’s Soundsuit.