Choosing
a particular period from 1800 to the present, in what ways has art or design
responded to the changing social and cultural forces of that period? (2
specific examples)
The
particular period that will be discussed is the early 20th century, and
the changing social and cultural forces of that period having an effect on art,
paying close attention to the changes in Germany and Russia. The end of the
First World War, the Russian Revolution and modernism all had a distinct effect
on art and society, including the Bauhaus and Constructivist movement. The
origins and influence of these movements will be examined along with how they
influenced each other.
The Russian
Revolution is the collective term given to a series of Revolutions in Russia
from around 1905 to 1917. The first notable revolution was The February
Revolution, taking place in February of 1917 resulting in the fall of the
Russian Empire and a Provisional Government being formed. At this point Russia
was a capitalist country – basically meaning everyone’s money is his or hers.
If you are rich you stay rich, and if you are poor you will stay poor. This
meant there was noticeable gulf in class; you were either very rich or very
poor.
While this
was going on the Bolshevik party, who were led by Vladimir Lenin, organized
militias of workers into the “Red Party”. The Bolsheviks wanted to overthrow
the government and create a ‘new and better’ Russia, where everyone was equal.
Money was to be shared and land was to be shared. Everyone would work to earn
money and everyone would be happy.
The October
Revolution had a profound effect on Russia. The Bolshevik party led by Lenin
overthrew the Provisional Government in St. Petersburg. Lenin and the
Bolsheviks came into power. Civil war ensued between the Red (Bolshevik) and
White (Anti-Bolshevik) army but communism was now taking spread in Russia.
Around this time there was intense artistic experimentation taking place in
Russia, especially in regards to art and design for post-revolution Soviet
Russia.
The
constructivist movement was in prominence around 1919 and was founded by
Vladimir Tatlin in 1913. It was an ‘abstract movement which focused on art for
the industrial age.’ [ART FORTUNE, 2011] “The constructivists, whose
ideas represent the most sophisticated aspect of the Soviet avant-garde, viewed
the artists as an “engineer” whose duty was to construct “useful objects”, much
like a factory worker while actively participating in the building of a new
society” [PETRIC, 1987; p5]
It was
starting to become clear that art had a major role to play in society and
politics in Russia - the most famous political example probably being El
Lissitsky’s “Beat The Whites With The Red Wedge” from 1919. The piece shows a
red wedge piercing a white circular motif. Red became the symbol of revolution
and of the Bolshevik, white was the symbol of anti-revolutionary forces. ‘When
the revolution took place in Russia in 1917, it did not mean that the Soviet
Union with its many components was immediately formed. A civil war erupted
between the communists, the reds, and the royalists supporting the old regime,
the whites. With that in mind, this becomes a stylized battle plan for the
communist victory, rather than just some abstract geometric design.’ [Art In The Picture, 2012] So art was influencing politics, politics was influencing art and
both were developing and shaping Russia together.
Russia was
becoming more forward thinking and industrialized but at the same time it kept
Lenin’s views on equality, and creating the same product for all. ‘Treating workers' housing in the same way as they
would bourgeois apartments’
[CAMPBELL; 1971]
New
technology was something the constructivists were enthusiastic about, this is
exemplified by Rodchenko’s self-portrait which used elements of new technology
such as photography. Even Russian filmmaking was becoming more avant-garde and
groundbreaking with “October: Ten Days That Shook The World” by Sergei
Eisenstein. It ‘demonstrates his ground-breaking artistry utilizing “a kind of
montage that helped him to construct epic works which promoted the twin-edged
theme of the masses entering history and history entering the masses’ [ROSENSTONE,
2006]
Modernism
was a cultural and artistic movement originating in Europe in the early 20th
century with roots dating back to the late 19th century. It was the
idea of a new forward thinking and industrialized society. It was closely
related to modernity, which Paris became a symbol of with its urbanization and
architecture - the Eiffel Tower, built
in 1889 is a classic example of this. It was Paris showing the world what
Europe was capable of, illustrated by the Eiffel Tower being used as the entry
arch to the 1889 World’s Fair. The mass urbanization and population led to the
surroundings almost controlling the occupiers, rather the other way around.
Architecture and design had started to become more standardized, so it simply
did its function.
The
constructivists really got noticed around Europe as an avant-garde and
revolutionary movement with Tatlin’s “Monument to the Third International” in
1919. ‘Designed to be higher than the other great steel icon of modernity, the
Eiffel Tower in Paris… Tatlin’s tower quickly became a legend internationally,
even though (or because) it was never built. It seemed to represent the
ultimate daring fashion of abstract form, modern technology and revolutionary
politics. It may have influenced Gropius’s Monument to the March Dead of 1920’
[KENNEDY, 2006; P254]
After
Germanys defeat in the First World War, the German monarchy fell. A new more
liberal Weimar Republic took over and came to power in 1919. Similar to how the
Russian Revolution overthrew the previous monarchy and paved the way for new
beginnings. Along with a changing Germany, the censorship of the past was
abolished, allowing a period of intense artistic experimentation, something
which was suppressed in previous years.
This idea
of change and “function before form” was the basis of the birth of Bauhaus
school, along with probably being inspired by the developments in Russia and
the constructivist movement. Bauhaus at the time literally stood for “house of
construction” and was formed by Walter Gropius in Weimar. It has had a profound
influence on architecture, graphic design, interior design and many other
disciplines of art. Examples such as Bauhaus Journal 1 (1926) designed by
Herbert Bayer illustrates the influence Bauhaus not only had on graphic design
but architecture showing ‘Gropius’ iconic buildings for the Dessau Bauhaus: a
potent image’ [BARTRAM, 2004; P56] along with the grid system they incorporated
to layout, which is a staple of contemporary graphic design. Bauhaus had the
same ethos of the constructivist artists, an idea of shaping and constructing a
new society.
Bauhaus was
one of the first schools of art and design to teach multi-disciplined artists
in a modern manner. This makes it very
similar to Vkhutemas, the Russian state art and technical school founded in
1920, as they both trained artists in a modern manner, lecturing them on what
we nowadays regard as basic principles; such as colour theory, layout etc. Both
schools were also born out of a political and cultural change in their
respective countries, both had very well renowned artists lecturing at the
schools, artists such as Walter Gropius, Hannes Meyer, El Lissitzky, Alexander
Rodchenko and Varvara Stepanova. Both schools also flourished at the same
period of time.
Interestingly,
both schools also worked very closely together and were definitely in regular
contact - the avant-garde post-revolution Russian art and design clearly
influenced the birth of Bauhaus in the first place. El Lissitzky, a lecturer at
Vkhutemas had work ‘shown in the 1922 First Russian Art Exhibition in Berlin. Subsequently
he had contact with the Dadaists, De Stijl and Bauhaus artists’ [GRAY, 1962]
Bauhaus had
a major influence on many different fronts but it was to be an abrupt end for
the school. ‘By 1931 the Nazi party dominated the Dessau
city council, and in 1932 cancelled all Bauhaus faculty contracts. Mies van der
Rohe again moved the school to an empty factory in Berlin, but continued Nazi
harassment made the continuance impossible. The Bauhaus closed on August 10,
1933.’ [ANNESERDESIGN, 1999]
Similarly, Vkhutemas and the Russian avant-garde
movement were both also damaged significantly by the ultimate rejection from
Stalin and his regime. The more kitsch style of socialist realism was in
ascension and unfortunately the ground breaking artistic movements in both
Germany and Russia were pretty much disbanded because of social and political changes.
Just how both were pretty much born out of political and social changes.
It’s also
clear that the social changes in Russia and the artistic Constructivist
movements in Russia had a clear influence on the birth of Bauhaus and the
teachings there. Both were strikingly alike. A number of Constructivists even
taught at Bauhaus and translated Vkhutemas teachings to the Bauhaus. It’s hard
to be on an art course and not hear about Bauhaus but rather unfairly very few
would say they’re aware of Vkhutemas and in lesser terms, constructivism,
especially so in the Western world. ‘The Vkhutemas Art School was as
experimental and innovative as the Bauhaus.’ [BARTRAM, 2004; P47]
---------
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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