Russian Constructivist Art

Russian constructivist art emerged in Soviet Russia in the 1920-30s. It spread to visual arts, architecture, photography and applied arts. This artistic method is characterized by strictness of forms and simplicity of design, as well as belief that art is a practice for social purposes. 

The core name in Russian constructivist art is Vladimir Tatlin — the author of the huge Monument to the Third International, or Tatlin's Tower. The tall iron, steel and glass tower was supposed to surpass the Eiffel Tower in Paris. However, the daring project of the sky-high building was never realized for very down-to-earth reasons—financial issues. It was Tatlin, who added a pinch of utopia to Constructivism—until 1930s he worked on a flying machine, aptly called 'letatlin'.

The legacy of Russian constructivist art is varied and prolific: modern trendsetters find inspiration in designs created by masters of the era, crane-like constructions used by constructivist architects of the beginning of the 20th century are repeated in modern structures, constructivist posters are enjoying popular interest today with museums having special sections devoted to them and modern graphic designers using styles based on them.