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A Grand Catalogue of Revolutionary Thoughts and Works
The husband-and-wife team of Alexandr Rodchenko/Varvara Stepanova are the most well known graphic designers of the era. The Museum of Modern Art in New York had an exhibition in 1998 devoted to their works; the catalogue, 'Aleksandr Rodchenko', is a well presented overview that is ideal for those wanting to learn about the art and politics of post-revolutionary Russia. ... Read more

Book Description

Alexander Rodchenko was the most important and versatile member of the Constructivist movement, the progressive artists who created a new art after the Russian Revolution of 1917. This comprehensive book, rich in illustrations and relying extensively on new research from Russia, accompanied the first major retrospective exhibition in the United States of Rodchenko's work at The Museum of Modern Art, New York, in 1998. In 1921 Rodchenko left behind his innovative work in abstract painting and sculpture, committing himself to applied art in the service of revolutionary ideals. Included in this first full and coherent overview are not only Rodchenko's painting and sculpture but also his diverse experiments and lasting achievements in photocollage, photography, and design of all kinds, from books, posters, magazines, and advertising, to furniture.

Edited by Magdalena Dabrowski, Leah Dickerman and Peter Galassi.
Essays by Magdalena Dabrowski, Leah Dickerman, Peter Galassi, Aleksandr Lavrent'ev and Varvara Rodchenko.
Foreword by Glenn D. Lowry. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Images: 5 Stars Writing: 2 Stars
This book has wonderful images that tell the story of Rodchenko.
His photography, painting, drawing, graphic design and sculpture. What a kick [butt] artist. I like the photography and sculpture best.
He was a contemporary
of Picasso, but he lived in Russia. His art was controlled by
the State. His fame rose with the State, and then declined when
the State changed.

I was interested in reading his biography and there are several
essays by different people. I found them hard to read and not
helpful and sequential. One essay was on Photography, one on Painting,
one on each aspect of his output. This separation did not work
for me. I did not complete the essays, because, they were too
hard to read. I liked the one written by his daughter. ... Read more

Book Description

One of the most versatile Constructivist and Productivist artists to emerge after the Russian Revolution, Alexander Rodchenko worked as a painter, graphic designer, photographer, photomontageist, architectural designer, and sculptor. He was alternately influenced by Suprematism, Productivism, Dada, Constructivism, Abstraction, and Abstract Expressionism--working in different modes throughout his artistic life. This monograph focuses on Rodchenko's sculptures, which can be loosely divided into three groups, beginning with abstract works dating from 1918; mobiles; and square timber works from circa 1920. Works are presented through vintage photographs, detailed descriptions, and reconstructions.

Edited by Galerie Gmurzynska.
Essays by Selim O. Khan-Magomedow, Alexander Lawrentjew and Warwara Stepanowa. ... Read more

Book Description

The Russian Constructivist Aleksandr Rodchenko (1891-1936) cannot be categorized by any one of his remarkable activities. His prodigious career in photography, graphic design, industrial design, painting, stage set and theater design, fashion and costume design, and architecture is at last given its full recognition in this splendidly illustrated and exhaustive study of the complete range of his work.

Rodchenko's artistic production is considered against the complex background of the political, social, personal, and artistic circumstances of the period, from the beginning of his studies at the Art School of Kazan to his encounter with Mayakovsky and the Futurists, from the famous Moscow Exhibitions where Rodchenko took part in the founding phase of abstract art to the arguments with Kandinksy over cultural supremacy with the Institute of Artistic Culture (INCHUK) and the definitive embracing of Constructivism.

Among the book's unusual contributions is the serious consideration given to Rodchenko's architectural projects and its generous treatment of unknown documents - newspaper reports, commentaries, debates, articles, letters - of the time. These give a lively sense of what was actually happening in Moscow art circles during the crucial formative years of the avant-garde movement.

The visual material is particularly stunning. Five hundred illustrations, many in full color, are taken from Russian archives or from Rodchenko's private archive now owned by his nephew.

The author, Selim Omarovich Khan-Magomedov is a Soviet architectural historian and critic who has achieved an enviable record of championing the rehabilitation of modern Soviet architecture from the 1920s. He almost single-handedly launched the bold campaign in 1962 to revive the historical legacy of Soviet modernism. Magomedov's studies of modern Soviet architecture, institutions, and personalities represent an impressive body of work in the face of formidable odds and official resistance and they are highly regarded in the West. ... Read more

Book Description

This book contains all of the diaries, programs, essays, and major articles written by Alexander Rodchenko between 1911 and 1956. The word "experiment" was a key word for the artist, who conceived of his multimedia oeuvre as one huge experiment. Referred to by his friends and contemporaries as "a scout of the future," Rodchenko sought new paths in graphic design and painting, sculpture and architecture, poster design and cinema, photography and book design, and furniture and theatre design.

The first chapter in this volume covers the early life of Rodchenko and relates to the time of his studies in the Kazan art school. His diaries from 1911-15 relate the vivid atmosphere of the school, explain the artist's early tastes for theatrical, oriental and medieval motifs, and recall the moments when he first met Varvara Stepanova, his lifetime partner and fellow artist. The second chapter covers the most active years of the Russian avant-garde movement: 1916-21. Here Rodchenko is linked to Vladimir Tatlin and his evolution as a non-objective painter comes about. His writings from this period explore his interest in the artistic process, in the way ideas are born, and often make comparisons with other artistic trends of the time: suprematism, cubism, and impressionism. The third chapter runs through the 20s and the height of the constructivist movement, when Rodchenko became one of the leading designers of the time. This chapter is the most comprehensive, featuring writings dedicated to industrial design education, graphic design, advertising, photomontage and photography. The fourth chapter reveals the artist's mood and the general Soviet culture situation of the 30s, a time of political change, accusations of formalism, and great success in photography. The last chapter is dedicated to the war and postwar period and contains only diary texts in which the artist recounts his family's evacuation to the country, his subsequent hard living and working conditions, as well as his musings on the cultural politics of the time and life in general.

Originally published in 1996 in Moscow by Rodchenko's family, Experiments for the Future appears here in its first English edition. This new edition contains additional material and features a different design and images, but the content remains essentially unchanged. Introduction by John Bowlt.

Preface by Peter Galassi. Hardcover, 6.25 x 9.25 in. / 300 pgs ... Read more

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Utopian Studies, published by Society for Utopian Studies on March 22, 1998. The length of the article is 1157 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Struggle for utopia: Rodchenko, Lissitzky, Moholy Nagy: 1917-1946.(Review) (book reviews)
Author: Milka Bliznakov
Publication: Utopian Studies (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 1998
Publisher: Society for Utopian Studies
Page: 290(1)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thompson Gale ... Read more

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Print, published by RC Publications, Inc. on September 1, 1997. The length of the article is 1147 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Struggle for Utopia: Rodchenko, Lissitzky, Moholy-Nagy, 1917-1946. (book reviews)
Author: Ellen Lupton
Publication: Print (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 1997
Publisher: RC Publications, Inc.
Volume: v51Issue: n5Page: p26(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more