Soviet poster produced by Rodchenko in 1924 to encourage reading. Lilya Brik shouting “books.”
So is Alexander Rodchenko (the constructivist artist who’s work ‘inspired’ the Saks campaign) rolling in his grave? Not necessarily. I emailed the Times article to my friend who’s actually read Karl Marx, and here’s what he had to say: But when you view it ala Marx, it makes perfect sense. To him, all art is propaganda. And propaganda is simply anything that promotes a point of view. The Soviets were using their propaganda to promote nationalism; marketers are using the same images to promote consumerism, by simply making small changes (prettier models, having the lines move towards products). It’s still a “Join our bandwagon” message. (via collective selection » Fashion as Code)
Alexander Rodchenko and Varvara Stepanova
Alexander Rodchenko and Varvara Stepanova in their studio (1922).
Aleksandr Rodchenko - Design for an advertisement for the Mossel’ prom (Moscow agricultural industry) cafeteria 1923
Alexander Rodchenko
Александр Родченко. Утренняя гимнастика на крыше. Студенческое общежитие в Лефортово. 1932 г. Московский дом фотографии (via Ню в СССР / Статьи / Жанры фотографии / Prophotos.ru. Профессионально о фотографии.)
History Photography and Graphic Design Older Lef (Left Front for the Arts) cover designed by Rodchenko, Russian Constructivist 1923.
LEF (“ЛЕФ”) was the journal of the Left Front of the Arts (“Levyi Front Iskusstv” - “Левый фронт искусств”), a widely ranging association of avant-garde writers, photographers, critics and designers in the Soviet Union. It had two runs, one from 1923 to 1925 as LEF, and later from 1927 to 1929 as Novyi LEF (‘New LEF’). The journal’s objective, as set out in one of its first issues, was to “re-examine the ideology and practices of so-called leftist art, and to abandon individualism to increase art’s value for developing communism.”
Alexander Rodchenko 1891-1956 born Saint Petersburg, Russia; died Moscow, Soviet Union (present-day Russia) active Soviet Union (present-day Russia) Izvestiia Building. Editorial Headquarters of newspaper, 1932 gelatin silver print (Russian Constructivist Photography)
If we now return to our point of origin, Rodchenko’s sports photograph from 1938;. we are able to establish an explanation of its aesthetic character …
V. Kovrigin: Alexander Rodchenko on the Moscow-Volga Carnal (early 1930s). (From ‘Sovetskoe Foto’, April 1936.)
via www.fedka.com
