I Heart Constructivism (Part 1 - History)

Trying to keep engaged on this Friday afternoon, so I thought I would get around to a post that's been cooking in the ol' noggin' for a while.

My-all-time-favorite period of design history is Russian Constructivism (big surprise!). I think I missed my calling as an Art Historian  -- though there's still time to become a Graphic Design Historian; a developing discipline -- because I love how design trends are cyclical and I enjoy seeing how a trend is revamped each time it resurfaces.

Below are prints from some of my favorite original Constructivist artists/designers (Lissitzky, Rodchenko, Schwitters and Müller-Brockman); in the second blog post, contemporary adaptations/interpretations of Constructivism. Enjoy!

 El Lissitzky, Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge, 1919 Lithography

 El Lissitzky, Poster for the Russian Exhibition in Zurich, 1929

Alexander Rodchenko, Dobrolet Airline Poster, 1923, lithograph

Alexander Rodchenko, Lilya Brik,1924, photomontage,

Kurt Schwitters, Photomantage

Varvara Stepanova, The Results of the First Five-Year Plan, 1932

Josef Müller-Brockmann, Weniger Larm (Noise Control), 1960
(okay, so he's part of the Swiss movement, but I heart him, too).

Josef Müller-Brockmann, Beethoven Concert Poster, 1955