Art, Politics, and Revolution:
The Russian Avant-Garde and the Struggle for Ideas
K-16 Workshop, CREES, University of Kansas
Spencer Museum of Art
Saturday, April 12, 2008, 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
I. Political background: ideal of society based on equality
Utilitarians (technology, radical egalitarianism, liberation of women):
Crystal Palace, The Great Fair, Sydenham Hill, England, 1851
Godbuilding and Prometheanism (hyperbolic images, larger-than-life creator/superman)
Proletkult (Russia's new proletariat as the new universal humanity)
II. Art: breaking free of realism
A. Folk and religious background:
lubok, woodcut
icon
B. Modernist background: foregrounding and separating of basic aspects of
art (rhythm, color, shape)
Goncharova, neo-primitivist picture
Vrubel', icon
C. Avant-garde
Rodchenko, "Revolution of the Spirit," graffiti, 1919.
| Translation of words: "Be joyful today is the REVOLUTION OF THE SPIRIT BEFORE you TAKE HEED OF US who have thrown off the age-old chains of PHOTOGRAPHICITY CLICHÉ PLOT-NESS WE Russians are COLUMBUSES OF ART DISCOVERERS OF NEW PATHS OF CREATIVITY today is our VICTORY |
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1. Suprematism: Malevich's pure art freed of "the ballast of objectivity"
Malevich, "Suprematism," pdf file (1915)
Malevich, Black Square (1913)
2. Constructivism and utopia:
a) clothes design
Popova, fabric design
Stepanova, jumpsuit "Prozodezhda"
b) furniture design
Tatlin, Counter-reliefs
Vladimir Tatlin - Counter Relief - 1914-15 - iron, copper, wood, rope 71x118cm
http://collagemuseum.com/constructivism/tatlin.html
o collapsible furniture
c) flight
Miturich, flyer [letun]
d) cities in space
Rodchenko's mobile
Kliutsis, Dynamic City (1919)
Krutikov, Space City of the Future (1928)
D. Impact of the Russian avant-garde:
image from NYT advertising
Komar and Melamid fake advertising
III. Literature: experimentation with language
A. Futurism: youthful poets with artistic talent
Vladimir Mayakovsky, photo portrait by Rodchenko
Back cover of the book Conversation with the Finance Inspector
about Poetry (Razgovor c fininspektorom o poesii), by Vladimir
Mayakovsky. 1926.
Letterpress, 6 7/8 x 5" (17.4 x 12.9 cm).
Collection Jack Banning. Courtesy Ubu Gallery, New York
http://www.moma.org/exhibitions/1998/rodchenko/texts/portraits_mayakov_jpg.html
Velemir Khlebnikov, photo portrait
Alekséi Kruchónykh, author of Futurist play, Victory over the
Sun
B. Proletkult: new writers from among the Russian proletariat
Alekséi Gástev
Aleksei Kapitonovich Gastev (1882-1939)
