Alexander Rodchenko

Constructivism

By: Lisa Pasqualitto and Allegra Fracassi

Alexander RodchenkoPainter

Painter

Sculptor

Typographer

Poster Artist

Furniture Designer

Set Decorator

Interior Architect

Teacher

Photographer

Graphic Artist

Alexander RodchenkoPainter- Born November 23, 1891, in St. Petersburg, Russia

- Died December 3, 1956, in Moscow, Russia

- Main field was photography, also focused on painting earlier in his career

- Was influenced by the aspects of Constructivism movement

- Was most famous in the 20th century for his photography

- Leader of Constructivism

- Influenced by Vladimir Tatlin and Kazimir Malevich

- Married to Varvara Stepanova

Timeline of Rodchenko’s Life & Achievements

1910: attends school of Fine Arts in Kazan

1915: attends Stroganov School in Moscow where he meets Vladimir Tatlin and Kazimir Malevich

1918-19: becomes interested in architecture and line structure; joins the Zhivaskulptarkh – a group dedicated to this form of art

1919: does first collages and is the president of the Federation of Painters of New Art

1921: at “5x5=25” exhibition Rodchenko’s Pure Colors: Red, Yellow, Blue is shown as his last easel painting produced

Shukhov Tower by Alexander Rodchenko, 1929. Artist print

Timeline of Rodchenko’s Life & Achievements

1923: does advertising and photomontages, and collaborates with Mayakovsky

1929: many of his photographs are published in magazines (Technology, Life, Novy Lef, etc…)

1935-40: works on series of books of photos with his wife, Varvara

1940: returns to abstract painting

Novyi LEF. Zhurnal levogo frontaiskusstv, 11 Alexander Rodchenko

Novyi Lef cover. Photography 1928. Russian Constructivism. Alexander Rodchenko

- Used single lines to construct a simplistic design

- Angles are used to create a abstract look with ordinary objects

- By the use of line, it allowed him to exclude colour, form, and composition

- High contrast lighting in his photographs, creates dynamic shadows and depth

-Majority of his photographs were portraits, landscapes or architecture

Rodchenko’s Style of Art & Photography

Breakthrough: Alexander Rodchenko. Pioneer Girl, 1930

Constructivism :

Refers to non-representational construction of sculpture and painting. The artists linked art with concrete and tangible ideas; instead of abstract ideas.

Constructivism :

- Materialistic mechanical machine-like art

- Addresses issues about reality and life

- Uses industrial materials such as glass, sheet metal, and plastic

- Objects are nonrepresentational, and often geometric shapes

- A movement in modern art originating in Moscow in 1920

Rodchenko’s Contribution to Constructivism- In 1918 and 1921 Rodchenko became interested through the arrangement of flat geometric shapes on a two-dimensional surface; he then created three-dimensional sculptures. These constructions were made from various materials, including wood, tin, and cardboard.

- In 1920, Hanging Construction was one of the first constructed sculptures in Russia to include moving parts. In this work Rodchenko arranged a series of intersecting and concentric circles of wood that hung freely to be moved by air

Alexander Rodchenko. Hanging Construction, 1920

Alexander Rodchenko’s Photography

- He often shot his subjects from odd angles; usually from high above as an aerial view or from a low angle, he did this to shock his viewers

- Most of his work was abstract

- His images eliminated unnecessary detail, emphasized dynamic diagonal composition, and was concerned with the placement and movement of objects

"One has to take several different shots of a subject, from different points of view and in different situations, as if one examined it in the round rather than looked through the same key-hole again and again.”-Rodchenko

Alexander Rodchenko Dynamo Soccer Club, Red Square 1935

Alexander Rodchenko’s Photography- He photographed stairs, buildings, and overhead wires that created constructivist linear structures

-The contrast between light and dark, was also one of Rodchenko’s approaches towards photography

Alexander Rodchenko. Fire-escape ladder, 1925.

Alexander Rodchenko. Staircase, 1930

Alexander Rodchenko. Young Woman with Leica, (vintage gelatin silver print) 1934

Rodchenko’s use of contrast between light and dark, creates a dramatic photograph and a chiaroscuro effect in his photographs.

This helped to show the form of his subjects, and add depth and volume.

Alexander Rodchenko. Radio Antenna, 1930

Through the use of both high and low angles, Alexander Rodchenko adds interest and makes an ordinary object look more abstract. It changes the approach of our view of how we interpret everyday items and transforms the ordinary to the extraordinary.

Alexander Rodchenko. House in Miasnitzkaya Street, 1925

Alexander Rodchenko. A Street in Moscow, 1928

Alexander Rodchenko. Courtyard, 1927

Rodchenko uses aerial and ‘birds eye view’ photographs to show the relationship that all elements have to each other.

Alexander Rodchenko. Nude and Shadow, 1930

Alexander Rodchenko. Abstract Cutout

Rodchenko uses the reflectionto create a more abstract approach to his work.

Alexander Rodchenko. Black black, 1919

Alexander Rodchenko. The White Circle. 1918

Alexander Rodchenko. Construction no 92, 1919

Alexander Rodchenko. Gymnastics, 1932.

-The Leica was introduced to the world in 1925 at the Leipzig Spring Fair

-It changed the course of photography

-It was used for landscape photography as it was the first practical 35mm camera that used standard cinema 35 mm film

-Rodchenko was the first Soviet photographer to use a Leica

-Rodechenko was a photographer for a magazine company called “Novyi LEF.” Many of his photographs were published in the 1928 issue and under each of his photographs he made note that he used the Leica to produce his images

-It allowed him to use unusual camera positions, severe foreshortenings of perspective, and detail

Rodchenko and The Leica

Alexander Rodchenko. The Moscow-Volga Carnal, 1930

Vladimir Tatlin: 1885 - 1953 -Ukrainian sculptor and painter

- In 1914, he became the leader of a group of Moscow artists who applied engineering techniques to sculpture construction; a movement which then developed into Constructivism

-He used iron, glass, wood and wire in the nonrepresentational constructions that he created

- He inspired Alexander Rodchenko

Vladimir Tatlin. Model for the third international

tower, 1919-1920

Other Constructivism Artists

Naum Gabo. Linear Construction No.2, (plastic and nylon filament) 1970-1971

Antoine Pevsner. Developable Surface, (bronze and copper) 1938-1939

Constructivism artists, Naum Gabo and Antoine Pevsner create sculptures of non-representational objects.

Other Constructivism ArtistsArtists, Alexandra Exter and Alexander Vesnin, show a more abstract approach to constructivism art.

Alexandra Exter. City, 1913 Alexander Vesnin. Suprematistische Komposition, (oil on cardboard)

The Ex’s album coverFranz Ferdinand album cover

Alexander Rodchenko. Lily Brik, 1924

Rodchenko’s work in a modern time:

El Lissitzky. Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge, 1919-20

Franz Ferdinand album cover

Photoshop Procedures: Editing

1) - select lasso > outline the subject with the lasso

Photoshop Procedures: Editing

2) - selection tool > outline the area

2) - selection tool > outline the area

- select a colour from the colour palette > click the paint bucket icon > click over the empty background area

Photoshop Procedures: Editing 3) - selection tool > select custom shape tool (rectangle, triangle, circle, etc)

Colours to use for the shapes:- black - beige- white - red

- then choose any additional colour and use it in different shades