bagd year 1 essay by abbas mushtaq

OUGD401/EssayCriticalAnalyis/AbbasMushtaq/Level 4/BAGD

The particular period that will be discussed is the early 20th century, and the changing

social and cultural forces of that period having an effect on art, paying close attention

to the changes in Germany and Russia. The end of the First World War, the¬ Russian

Revolution and modernism all had a distinct effect on art and society, including the

Bauhaus and Constructivist movement. The origins and influe¬¬nce of these movements

will be examined along with how they influenced each other.

The Russian Revolution is the collective term given to a series of Revolutions in Russia

from around 1905 to 1917. The first notable revolution was The February Revolution,

taking place in February of 1917 resulting in the fall of the Russian Empire and a

Provisional Government being formed. At this point Russia was a capitalist country –

basically meaning everyone’s money is his or hers. If you are rich you stay rich, and if you

are poor you will stay poor. This meant there was noticeable gulf in class; you were either

very rich or very poor.

While this was going on; the Bolshevik party who were led by Vladimir Lenin organized

militias of workers into the “Red Party”. The Bolsheviks wanted to overthrow the

government and create a ‘new and better’ Russia where everyone was equal. Money was to

be shared and land was to be shared. Everyone would work to earn money and everyone

would be content.

The October Revolution had a profound effect on Russia. The Bolshevik party led by

Lenin overthrew the Provisional Government in St. Petersburg. Lenin and the Bolsheviks

came into power. Civil war ensued between the Red (Bolshevik) and White (Anti-Bolshevik)

army but communism was now taking spread in Russia. Around this time there was intense

artistic experimentation taking place in Russia, especially in regards to art and design for

post-revolution Soviet Russia.

‘Constructivism. A movement or ideology in abstract art that originated in

Russia… and in the 1920s spread to the West, where it has subsequently been

CHOOSING A PARTICULAR PERIOD FROM 1800 TO THE PRESENT, IN WHAT WAYS HAS ART OR DESIGN RESPONDED TO THE CHANGING SOCIAL AND CULTURAL FORCES OF THAT PERIOD? (2 SPECIFIC EXAMPLES)

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influential on a wide spectrum of artists. Constructivism is typically characterised

by the use of industrial materials – such as glass, plastic and standardized metal

parts – arranged in clear formal relationsips… some writers prefer to use the terms

‘Soviet Constructivism’ [CHILVERS, 2004]

The constructivist movement was in prominence around 1919 and was founded by

Vladimir Tatlin in 1913. It was an ‘abstract movement which focused on art for the

industrial age.’ [ART FORTUNE, 2011] “The constructivists, whose ideas represent the

most sophisticated aspect of the Soviet avant-garde, viewed the artists as an “engineer”

whose duty was to construct “useful objects”, much like a factory worker while actively

participating in the building of a new society” [PETRIC, 1987; p5]

It was starting to become clear that art had a major role to play in society and politics in

Russia - the most famous political example probably being El Lissitsky’s “Beat The Whites

With The Red Wedge” from 1919 (fig. 1). The piece shows a red wedge piercing a white

circular motif. Red became the symbol of revolution and of the Bolshevik, white was the

symbol of anti-revolutionary forces.

‘When the revolution took place in Russia in 1917, it did not mean that the Soviet

Union with its many components was immediately formed. A civil war erupted

between the communists, the reds, and the royalists supporting the old regime, the

whites. With that in mind, this becomes a stylized battle plan for the communist

victory, rather than just some abstract geometric design.’ [Art In The Picture,

2012]

So art was influencing politics, politics was influencing art and both were developing and

shaping Russia together.

Russia was becoming more forward thinking and industrialized but at the same time it kept

Lenin’s views on equality, and creating the same product for all. ‘Treating workers’ housing

in the same way as they would bourgeois apartments’ [CAMPBELL; 1971]

New technology was something the constructivists were enthusiastic about; this is

exemplified by Rodchenko’s self-portrait (fig. 2) using elements of new technology such

as photography and negatives. Similarly Russian filmmaking was becoming more avant-

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garde and groundbreaking with “October: Ten Days That Shook The World” by Sergei

Eisenstein. It ‘demonstrates his ground-breaking artistry utilizing “a kind of montage that

helped him to construct epic works which promoted the twin-edged theme of the masses

entering history and history entering the masses’ [ROSENSTONE, 2006]

The Eiffel Tower itself, built in 1889 is a cultural symbol of the mass urbanization and

modernization, which was taking place in Europe at the time, stemming from the late 19th

century. It was this urbanization and idea of ‘constructing society’, which was noted by the

constructivists who also wanted to be forward thinking and emulate, and maybe surpass

those heights. An example of this is Tatlin’s “Monument to the Third International” in

1919 (fig. 3).

‘Designed to be higher than the other great steel icon of modernity, the Eiffel

Tower in Paris… Tatlin’s tower quickly became a legend internationally, even

though (or because) it was never built. It seemed to represent the ultimate daring

fashion of abstract form, modern technology and revolutionary politics. It may

have influenced Gropius’s Monument to the March Dead of 1920’ [KENNEDY,

2006; P254]

Gropius later founded the Bauhaus school, so developments in Constructivism were having

an inspiring effect on one of the most pioneering architects of modern times and possibly

the foundations of Bauhaus’ birth.

After Germanys defeat in the First World War, the German monarchy fell. A new more

liberal Weimar Republic took over and came to power in 1919. Similar to how the Russian

Revolution overthrew the previous monarchy and paved the way for new beginnings.

Along with a changing Germany, the censorship of the past was abolished, allowing a

period of intense artistic experimentation, something which was suppressed in previous

years.

This idea of change and “function before form” was the basis of the birth of the Bauhaus

school, along with probably being inspired by the developments in Russia and the

constructivist movement. Bauhaus at the time literally stood for “house of construction”

and was formed by Walter Gropius in Weimar. It has had a profound influence on

architecture, graphic design, interior design and many other disciplines of art. Examples

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such as Bauhaus Journal 1 (1926) designed by Herbert Bayer illustrate the influence

Bauhaus not only had on graphic design but architecture. Showing ‘Gropius’ iconic

buildings for the Dessau Bauhaus: a potent image’ [BARTRAM, 2004; P56] along with

the grid system they incorporated to layout, which is a staple of contemporary graphic

design. Bauhaus had the same ethos of the constructivist artists - an idea of shaping and

constructing a new society.

The Bauhaus was one of the first schools of art and design to teach multi-disciplined

artists in a modern manner. This makes it very similar to Vkhutemas, the Russian state art

and technical school founded in 1920, as they both trained artists in a modern manner,

lecturing them on what we nowadays regard as basic principles; such as colour theory,

layout etc. Both schools were also born out of a political and cultural change in their

respective countries, both had very well renowned artists lecturing at the schools, artists

such as Walter Gropius, Hannes Meyer, El Lissitzky, Alexander Rodchenko and Varvara

Stepanova. Both schools also flourished at the same period of time.

Interestingly, both schools also worked very closely together and were definitely in regular

contact - the avant-garde post-revolution Russian art and design clearly influenced the

birth of Bauhaus in the first place. El Lissitzky, a lecturer at Vkhutemas had work ‘shown

in the 1922 First Russian Art Exhibition in Berlin. Subsequently he had contact with the

Dadaists, De Stijl and Bauhaus artists’ [GRAY, 1962]

Bauhaus had a major influence on many different fronts but it was to be an abrupt end for

the school.

‘By 1931 the Nazi party dominated the Dessau city council, and in 1932 cancelled

all Bauhaus faculty contracts. Mies van der Rohe again moved the school to an

empty factory in Berlin, but continued Nazi harassment made the continuance

impossible. The Bauhaus closed on August 10, 1933.’ [ANNESERDESIGN,

1999]

Similarly, Vkhutemas and the Russian avant-garde movement were both also damaged

significantly by the ultimate rejection from Stalin and his regime. The more kitsch style

of socialist realism was in ascension and unfortunately the ground breaking artistic

movements in both Germany and Russia were pretty much disbanded because of social

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and political changes. Just how both were pretty much born out of political and social

changes.

It’s also clear that the social changes in Russia and the artistic Constructivist movements

in Russia had a clear influence on the birth of Bauhaus and the teachings there. Both

were strikingly alike. A number of Constructivists even taught at Bauhaus and translated

Vkhutemas teachings to the Bauhaus. ‘The Vkhutemas Art School was as experimental

and innovative as the Bauhaus.’ [BARTRAM, 2004; P47] It’s hard to be on an art course

and not hear about Bauhaus but rather unfairly very few would say they’re aware of

Vkhutemas and in lesser terms, constructivism, especially so in the Western world.

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(Fig. 1)

(Fig. 2)(Fig. 3)

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

WOODFIN, R &ZARATE, O (2009) ‘MARXISM A GRAPHIC GUIDE’, LONDON, ICON BOOKS

KENNEDY, A (2006) ‘BAUHAUS’, LONDON, FLAME TREE PUBLISHING

PETRIC, V (1993) ‘CONSTRUCTIVISM IN FILM: THE MAN WITH THE MOVIE CAMERA: A CINEMATIC ANALYSIS’, CAMBRIDGE, CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS

GRAY, C (1962) ‘THE GREAT EXPERIMENT: RUSSIAN ART’ LONDON, THAMES & HUDSON

BARTRAM, A (2004) ‘BAUHAUS, MODERNISM AND THE ILLUSTRATED BOOK’ LONDON, THE BRITISH LIBRARY

ANON. (2012) ‘CONSTRUCTIVISM’ [INTERNET], ARIZONA, ART OF FORTUNE, AVAILABLE FROM < HTTP://WWW.ARTFORTUNE.COM/CONSTRUCTIVISM> [DATE ACCESSED] 4/1/12

RAIZMAN, D (2004) ‘HISTORY OF MODERN DESIGN: GRAPHICS AND PRODUCTS SINCE THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION’, LONDON, LAURENCE KING PUBLISHING

CAMPBELL, E (1971) ‘ART AND REVOLUTION’, LONDON, HAYWARD GALLERY

AYERS, D (2004) MODERNISM: A SHORT INTRODUCTION’, CORNWALL, BLACKWELL PUB-LISHING

KENTGENS-CRAIG, M (2001) ‘THE BAUHAUS AND AMERICA: FIRST CONTACTS, 1919-1936’, USA, MIT PRESS

ANON. (2009) ‘RODCHENKO AND POPOVA: DEFINING CONSTRUCTIVISM’ [INTERNET], LONDON, TATE PUBLISHING, AVAILABLE FROM <HTTP://WWW.TATE.ORG.UK/MODERN/EXHIBITIONS/RODCHENKOPOPOVA/ROOMGUIDE/ROOM10.SHTM>[DATE ACCESSED] 8/1/12

ROSENSTONE, R (2006) ‘HISTORY ON FILM/FILM ON HISTORY (HISTORY: CONCEPTS, THEORIES AND PRACTICE’, LONDON, LONGMAN

ANON. (1999) ‘HISTORY/BAUHAUS’ [INTERNET], USA, ANNESER DESIGN, AVAILABLE FROM <HTTP://ANNESERDESIGN.COM/BAUHAUS.HTML> [DATE ACCESSED] 4/1/12

MATHIC, O. & BOWLT, E. J. (1999) ‘LABORATORY OF DREAMS: RUSSIAN AVANT-GARDE AND CULTURAL EXPERIMENT’, CALIFORNIA, STANFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, NEW EDITION

HOCHMAN, S. E. (1997) ‘BAUHAUS: CRUCIBLE OF MODERNISM’, USA, FROMM INTERNA-TIONAL PUBLISHING CORP U.S.

CHILVERS, I (2004) ‘THE OXFORD DICTIONARY OF ART’, UK, OUP OXFORD, 3 EDITION

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bagd year 1 essay by abbas mushtaq

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