Sunday, 12 April 2015

Rodchenko and a Vision of the New World

Alexander Rodchenko (1891-1956) was a hugely influential Russian artist. Originally a painter, he ditched his paintbrush in 1921 in order to produce work which tied into his personal philosophies surrounding art and in order to fulfil his strong commitment to the Russian Revolution. He then worked across an array of media, including photography and graphic design. 

Rodchenko

Rodchenko

Although credited as a pioneer of of Constructivism, he also contributed to the manifesto of Productivism. Often conflated with Constructivism, Productivism arose from a differentiation of philosophy surrounding the role art plays in industry. Constructivist believed in the abstraction of space and isolating art from political or social agenda. In other words, they believed in Kant’s philosophy of art for art’s sake. 1 Productivists appose this concept, worked in the applied arts and believed “artistic still should have a practical, socially useful role as an element of industrial production”2.


Influenced by futurists and perhaps inspired by the change instilled by the Revolution, Rodchenko and his fellow Productivists has a vision. “We had visions of a new world, industry, technology and science. We simultaneously invented and changed the world around us. We authored new notions of beauty and refined art itself”. 3  This quote is one which resonates strongly with me when considering the futurist concepts of today and the move towards to sustainable global development. I question the the role of art of the sake of art. Is it still sustainable? Should we not be dedicating more of our artistic and creative talent to developing new innovative ideas and problem solving? 

Footnotes:

 1 S. West & S. West (eds.). Art for Art's Sake. The Bloomsbury guide to art. http://search.credoreference.com.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/content/entry/bga/art_for_art_s_sake/0 [13 April 2015].

 2 S. West & S. West (eds.). Productivism. The Bloomsbury guide to art. http://search.credoreference.com.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/content/entry/bga/productivism/0 [8 April 2015].

 3  The Art Story 2014. Alexander Rodchenko. http://www.theartstory.org/artist-rodchenko-alexander.htm# [7 April 2015]. 

 References:
Moore, J 2014. Communist and Constructivist: A Perspective Look At The Work Of Alexander Rodchenko. Available from: <http://www.booksie.com/non-fiction/essay/john_moore/ communist-and-constructivist:-a-perspective-look-at-the-work-of-alexander-rodchenko> [8 April 2015]. 
Constructivism. 1996. [Online]. In S. West (ed.). The Bloomsbury guide to art. London, United Kingdom: Bloomsbury. Available from: <http:// search.credoreference.com.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/content/entry/bga/constructivism/0> [8 April 2015].
The Art Story 2014. Alexander Mikhailovch Rodchenko. Available from: <http:// www.theartstory.org/artist-rodchenko-alexander.htm> [7 April 2015].

The Art Story 2014. Constructivism. Available from: <http://www.theartstory.org/movement- constructivism.htm> [7 April 2015]. 

 Art for Art's sake (1996). [Online]. In S. West , S. West & S. West (eds.). The Bloomsbury guide to art. London, United Kingdom: Bloomsbury. Available from: http://search.credoreference.com.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/content/entry/bga/art_for_art_s_sake/0 [13 April 2015].

 Productivism (1996). [Online]. In S. West , S. West & S. West (eds.). The Bloomsbury guide to art. London, United Kingdom: Bloomsbury. Available from: http://search.credoreference.com.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/content/entry/bga/productivism/0 [8 April 2015].

 Gabo, Naum (Naum Neemia Pevsner) (1890 - 1977) (1996). [Online]. In S. West , S. West & S. West (eds.). The Bloomsbury guide to art. London, United Kingdom: Bloomsbury. Available from: http://search.credoreference.com.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/content/entry/bga/gabo_naum_naum_neemia_pevsner_1890_1977/0 [13 April 2015].
Posted by at

2 comments:

  1. Liz Harding18 April 2015 at 02:35

    Steph, the question you pose is one I have considered so many times, particularly throughout the course of doing this arts degree... How much time and resources should we really be spending on that which is purely art? I do tend towards the practical and realistic approach here, but then see, on the flipside, how many people dedicate their time and lives to purely practical endeavours, often without a real purpose and joy. I believe there's still time, resources and space. If for no other reason that it gives artists an outlet to create, and all other people an outlet for reflective contemplation and dreaming. Art makes you THINK. Which may make you change the way you see and do things, perhaps for the better for yourself and the world. If you're in the rat race and losing your soul to the daily grind, art can offer anyone a temporary escape. But then so can reading trashy novels, or playing recreational sport I guess... thoughts, anyone else?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unknown18 April 2015 at 02:50

      I have to agree with your reflection on art, and I hope I don't appear to be discrediting it. There is definitely a place for art in our society and it is intrinsic to our culture. I am simply looking to explore the concept photography can play in industrial development. My main focus, as you know, being the role photography can play in urban development and design practice. I feel that there is perhaps an unbalance between photographic practice as conceptual art and as applied art. Too many practitioners tend to lend themselves towards the appealing aesthetic and art for the sake of art, which seems unpractical to me, and quite frankly it is my assumption that if the scales were more balance, we would have less bad art and more innovation.

      Delete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)