Russian avant-garde

The Russian avant-garde was a large and influential wave of modern art that flourished in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union from about 1890 to 1930. Some people think it started even earlier, around 1850, and ended as late as 1960. This term covers many different but connected art movements, including Suprematism, Constructivism, Russian Futurism, Cubo-Futurism, Zaum, Imaginism, and Neo-primitivism.

Abstract art. Wassily Kandinsky, Composition VII (Première abstraction), 1913

Many artists from places that are now Belarus and Ukraine, such as Kazimir Malevich, Aleksandra Ekster, Vladimir Tatlin, David Burliuk, and Alexander Archipenko, are also part of what is called the Ukrainian avant-garde.

The Russian avant-garde reached its highest point creatively and popularly between the Russian Revolution of 1917 and 1932. At that time, the ideas of the avant-garde clashed with the new state-supported style of Socialist Realism.

Influence

The Russian avant-garde greatly influenced many areas of modern art and design, including shapes, buildings, movies, and sculpture. Artists like Kazimir Malevich and Vladimir Tatlin helped create simple, clear shapes that inspired others. Their ideas spread around the world through shows, books, and artists traveling between places.

These artists also changed how we design things like books, posters, and clothes. Their work laid the groundwork for modern design in Europe during the 1920s. Their ideas continued to influence artists and designers for many years after.

Important collections

The Russian avant-garde is shown in several important places, including the Russian Museum, the Tretyakov Gallery, the MOMus–Museum of Modern Art–Costakis Collection, and the Museum Ludwig.

Exhibition in Chemnitz 2016/17

In 2016 and 2017, the Chemnitz Art Collections held an exhibition called "Revolutionary! Russian Avant-Garde from the Vladimir Tsarenkov Collection." It featured 400 pieces from 110 artists, showing work made between 1907 and around 1930 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Russian October Revolution.

Artists and designers

Many talented artists and designers were part of the Russian avant-garde. Some of the most well-known names include Alexander Archipenko, Vladimir Baranoff-Rossine, Alexander Bogomazov, David Burliuk, Vladimir Burliuk, Marc Chagall, Ilya Chashnik, Aleksandra Ekster, Robert Falk, Moisey Feigin, Pavel Filonov, Artur Fonvizin, Naum Gabo, Nina Genke-Meller, Natalia Goncharova, Elena Guro, Vasily Kandinsky, Lazar Khidekel, Ivan Kliun, Gustav Klutsis, Anna Kogan, Pyotr Konchalovsky, Eugène Konopatzky, Sergei Arksentevich Kolyada, Alexander Kuprin, Mikhail Larionov, Aristarkh Lentulov, El Lissitzky, Kazimir Malevich, Paul Mansouroff, Ilya Mashkov, Mikhail Matyushin, Vadim Meller, Adolf Milman, Solomon Nikritin, Alexander Osmerkin, Max Penson, Liubov Popova, Ivan Puni, Kliment Red'ko, Alexei Remizov, Alexander Rodchenko, Olga Rozanova, Léopold Survage, Varvara Stepanova, Georgii and Vladimir Stenberg, Vladimir Tatlin, Nadezhda Udaltsova, Vasiliy Yermilov, Ilya Zdanevich, and Alexandr Zhdanov.

Journals

The Russian avant-garde had many influential art journals. Two important ones were LEF and Mir iskusstva. These journals helped share the ideas and artworks of the time.

Filmmakers

Here are some important filmmakers from the Russian avant-garde:

Writers

Here are some important writers connected to the Russian avant-garde:

Theatre directors

Some famous theatre directors from this time were Vsevolod Meyerhold, Nikolai Evreinov, Yevgeny Vakhtangov, and Sergei Eisenstein. They helped shape how plays were performed and told stories on stage during a busy period for art in Russia.

Architects

Here are some important architects from the Russian avant-garde: Yakov Chernikhov, Moisei Ginzburg, Ilya Golosov, Ivan Leonidov, Konstantin Melnikov, Vladimir Shukhov, and Alexander Vesnin.

People today care a lot about keeping these buildings safe. In 2007, a place called MoMA in New York City showed photos of these special buildings. The photos were taken by Richard Pare.