Alexander
Mikhailovich Rodchenko

Russia • 1891−1956

He studied at the Kazan art. school (1911-14)..Feshin, G. Medvedev, 1914-17 - the Stroganov Uch-school in Moscow. Since 1913 has participated in art exhibitions. From 1916 to the end of life - in personal and creative Union with the artist Varvara Stepanova. In 1918-21 et al. EVERY, head. the Museum Bureau, member of the Collegium of the people's Commissariat of the RSFSR. One of the leaders of constructivism and production art. In 1921-24 he worked in Moscow. Inhale. In 1917-18, sekr. The left Federation of the Union of artists, in 1923-30 a member of ASNOVA, a member of the Left front of arts (LEF), in 1928-32 and member hood. about-ia "October". He taught applied art, 1920-30 Professor at VKhUTEMAS - Vhuteina. 1924 was a photograph, a conductor of ideas of constructivism in photography, master of portraiture, reportage photography, photo montage. From 1923 worked as a graphic artist and photographer in the well. "Cinema photo", "LEF", "New LEF", "Ogonyok", "Smena", 1933-41 – "USSR in construction". In 1940-50 photographer and artist in the Museum of the Revolution and the House of technology in Moscow. Pictorial composition ("Design", 1917; "Black in black", 1918; "Composition", 1920; "Smooth Board", 1921), portraits ("Athlete", 1938), easel and book. graphics, design theatre. performances, etc.

Born in Moscow on 23 November (5 December) at the family theater props. He studied at the Kazan school of art (1910-1914)..And.Feshin, then entered the Moscow Stroganov school, where he was called for military service. In 1916 he settled in Moscow, he met Varvara Stepanova, who became his wife and companion of art. First avant-garde search Rodchenko developed as part of easel painting and graphics. Experienced step the impact of Suprematism K. Malevich, he attached his abstract-geometric works (series Composition movements projected and painted surfaces, and the Concentration of color and forms, both working – 1918; lots of Density and weight, Leninism, both work – 1919) is even more minimalist strictly rational, than Malevich,: since 1915 he created them as drawings, with the help of a compass. Work on the decoration of the café pittoresque (1917; together with V. E. Tatlin, G. B. Kulovym, etc.; not preserved) marked the transition to three-dimensional spatial forms, to the openwork pendant compositions 1918-1921, known for old photos and modern reenactments. Here were laid the foundations of constructivism – style, designed to simulate the engineering world of the future.

Enthusiastically met the revolution as the elements, in tune with the "blazing creativity" of the avant-garde (from the poem 1918), the artist served in the fine arts (the College's Affairs fine arts) for fine arts (1918-1921), was one of the most active members of the "Left front of arts" (LEF). An important focus of the new design steel wood and metal faculties of the all-Union artistic-technical studios (VKhUTEMAS), where Rodchenko taught in 1920-1930. Since 1924, having bought his first camera, he has updated the language of photography, giving her unprecedented power of expression: his piece photos, including portraits (of Mayakovsky with a dog Scoticum, 1924; Portrait of mother, 1924; N. N. Aseev, 1927; etc.), as well as reporting (with parades, construction sites, etc.), is a fascinating chronicle of the "great change" in society is fixed, due to the sudden and unexpected, deliberately"ostranenie" angles, "on the edge", a sharp break of the old and the new. Collaborated in the magazine "Cinema-pH", "LEF", "New LEF", "USSR in construction", "Soviet cinema."

Was a wonderful artist book: a masterpiece of visual poetics of the absurd in the spirit of Dada was his photo collages for books Mayakovsky's About this (1923, Mayakovsky Museum, Moscow). The artist generalist, Rodchenko constructivist reformed also the style of furniture (the project worker's club for the International exhibition of decorative arts in Paris, 1924), clothing (own jumpsuit 1923, reminiscent of a modern denim cut), commercial and industrial graphic art (posters, ads, candy wrappers, labels for "Mosselprom", "Rezinotresta" Gum and "Mospoligraf", 1923-1925), finally, movie posters. Also made an outstanding contribution to avant-garde set design (furniture and costumes for the play the Bedbug in the theater of Vsevolod Meyerhold, 1929; etc.). In 1926-1928 he worked in film as a production designer of movies Your friend L. V. Kuleshov, 1927; Moscow in October, Boris Barnet, 1927; Albidum S. S. Obolensky, 1928 Doll with millions of S. P. Komarov, 1928.

In the 1930-ies the works of masters like forks. On the one hand, he has been firmly installed in the program of socialist realism by getProperty (design collective books of the white sea-Baltic canal named after Stalin, 1934; the Red Army, 1938; Soviet aviation, 1939; and others). On the other – seeks to preserve inner freedom, which for him since the mid 1930-ies are the images of the circus (in the photo, as well as in easel painting, to which he at this period returned). In 1940-e years, adhering to the "unofficial art", the Rodchenko wrote a series of "decorative compositions" in the spirit of abstract expressionism.

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