11.4
Job:01212 Title: Basics typography (AVA)
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From visual poetry to modern typography: 1.4 Constructivism
1.3 Futurism 1.5 Bauhaus and De StijlConstructivism
Following the example of futurist principles,
constructivism emerged in 1921 as a movement in
post-revolutionary Russia. Even though artists in other
parts of Europe thought along similar lines, it was here
that art was pronounced ‘dead’ by Alexei Gan, one of
the movement leaders. According to Gan, ‘practical
construction’ was to replace ‘the artist’s speculative
activity’. Instead of being art for the sake of art,
constructivism was meant to serve the proletariat. It
rejected individual stylistic ambitions in favour of the
usefulness of the art or design object. As opposed to
the western world, where public education had been
made compulsory during the nineteenth century, there
was still a high level of illiteracy in 1920s Russia. It
was believed that graphic design based on geometric
principles and a simplifi cation of the Cyrillic script would
be more accessible for Russia’s public community.
Paradoxically, this anti-stylistic functionalism was radical
to such a degree that constructivism became undeniably
an artistic style in its own right. Constructivism was not
restricted to visual communication, it also formed a basis
for painting, product design, architecture, fi lm and so on.
The range of Alexander Rodchenko’s work refl ects the
diversity of constructivist disciplines on the one hand and
the ambition to collectively support the new society on
the other. As brief as it was, Rodchenko’s contribution
to constructivist typography was of great signifi cance to
modern typography.‘Art is dead! Let us cease
our speculative activity (pictures)
and take over the healthy basis of
art – colour, line, materials, and
forms – into the fi eld of reality, of
practical construction.’
Alexei GanJob:01212 Title: Basics typography (AVA)
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