Revolution and Early Modernism

In this lecture with Nick we were introduced to the meta-narrative of modernism, and it's early movements. We were guided through Paris, Milan, and Moscow, taking us through the timeline of the formation of things such as: impressionism, futurism and constructivism. The most impactful part of the lecture was definitely learning about constructivism in Moscow. To see the depth, and reason for the iconic imagery of the revolution was fascinating. Tower Bauher was an accumulation brought to life of the movement; it was almost scary to watch. The anger and intention of the agitprop could be easily felt, through the colour, sound, and shape of all of the imagery involved - it was extremely powerful.

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Constructivism

'Let's Fulfill the Plan of Great Works', Gustav Klutsis, 1930

Varvara Stepnova's unisex sports uniform design

The works of the Constructivist movement, particularly those seen during the Russian Revolution, commonly are in a similar style. As seen in the two pieces above, line, tone and colour are extremely prominent. Red is evidently the most dominant colour, which has been used deliberately to catch the eye, and also push the 'agitprop' movement. The colour works for this purpose as it is a colour associated with danger, and anger, which is the exact reaction the artists wanted from audiences to aid the political climate of Russia. The colours and materials were also cheap at the time, which was ideal as the pieces could be easily spread and mass produced. Bold, uniform lines can also be seen clearly in both pieces, whether it be the pattern of the clothing or the defined lines of the typography. The idea of tight, consistent linework may have been used to convey the serious, and strict nature of the propaganda. Alternatively, it may also signify the unity of the people during the revolution, and the urgency to stand as one. Typography, as seen in both pieces, also plays a large role in the impact that each work makes. Not only that the text is displayed in a unifying, bold manner, but also that they have both been made entirely using capital letters. The aesthetic of the capitals, similarly, conveys urgency, and that the poster is of importance. 
        Despite being of the same agitprop purposes, the pieces do also differ. Klutsis used a large amount of photography and collage in his work, which is evidently not seen in the uniform designs by Stepnova. This is both due to the contrast in form, as one is a poster, and one is clothing design,  and also the intention of the pieces. Klutsis had a message he wanted to portray to the public, therefore using a collage of hands all in the same pose is immensely powerful - it brings people together. However, Stepnova's clothing design, while being unifying in its intention, as it is a design to be universally worn, its purpose is not to convey a direct message, it is simply aiding the purpose of the messages being told by other leading artists of the revolution. The composition of each piece also differs purely based on the purpose of each piece. Klutsis needed interesting and dynamic composition, which he has done very successfully, as he needed the public's attention. This is why the colour and collage works so effectively, as it really draws in and captures the attention of the audience. However, Stepnova's composition is less important, as it is more displaying ideas clearly, than attempting to be diverse, and commanding in it's design. 
          To conclude, both pieces are extremely similar, only contrasting due to purpose, rather than quality or symbolism. They both capture attention, and serve their individual needs well, making them effective as part of the Russian Revolution, unifying and informing the public of a 'better' future.

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Links

https://www.moma.org/artists/12501?=undefined&page=&direction=
https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-constructivism-brought-russian-revolution-art
​https://www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_i/russian_revolution.php
https://avantgardebar.com/products/lets-fulfill-the-plan-of-great-works-1930