Constructivism

Constructivism was an art movement which started in Russia back in 1990. At the time Russia consisted of a communist society, and constructivism helped industrialise Russia, converting it from an agricultural society. The constructivists used art as a medium to communicate with their people for political reasons and rejected the idea of art for arts' sake. Soviet Graphic design consisted mainly of political propaganda and it was aimed at social change.

When Lenin died, constructivism died with him. The Stalinists believed that conservative neoclassical style of socialist realism was the way forward.

Graphic constructivism consisted of straight lines, geometrical shapes, flat colours and order and included billboards, logos packaging and other forms of advertisement. Inspiring artists from the time which still have an influence on today's graphic design are Jan Tschichold and Alexander Rodchenko.

Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge, El Lissitzky, 1919, repurposes abstract Suprematist motifs as war propaganda

Alexander Rodchenko and Varvara Stepanova's famous Books! poster (1924) employs a stark grammar of simple geometry and flat colour to promote a campaign for worker education.

The Russian Constructivists | Blog | Analogue76 | Web design, copywriting, blogging - Edinburgh, Scotland. 2013. The Russian Constructivists | Blog | Analogue76 | Web design, copywriting, blogging - Edinburgh, Scotland. [ONLINE] Available at:<http://www.analogue76.com/blog/entry/the_russian_constructivists.

>. [Accessed 01 December 2013].

The easy guide to design movements: Constructivism | Graphic design | Creative Bloq. 2013. The easy guide to design movements: Constructivism | Graphic design | Creative Bloq. [ONLINE] Available at:<http://www.creativebloq.com/graphic-design/easy-guide-design-movements-constructivism-10134843>.[Accessed 02 December 2013].

Propaganda and Modern art

Propaganda is biased information used to promote politics or a point of view. Italian in origin, from modern Latin congregatio de propaganda fide (congregation for propagation of the faith). The first noted use of propaganda was back in 1622, by a catholic church, when Pope Gregory XV appointed Rome the congregation for the propagation of faith.

Propaganda posters date back to 1914, when governments not only used them to promote political causes but also to recruit men to obtain enough money to support military campaigns. Germany, Italy and the Uk used posters for the recruitment of soldiers, with slogans such as ''Join your country's army''.
A very popular poster, very much known to graphic design is the uncle Sam poster, pointing his finger and telling his audience of young men ''I want YOU for US army''. During the war millions were spent on advertising and it is said that many of the graphic designers believed true, the messages they were putting forward.

Uncle Sam propaganda poster for soldier recruitment

The working class used the poster as a form of rebellion against the rich. From the early 20th century, modern art started to take its toll on posters. They were using poster as a means of channeling their inspiration.



Guity Novin, (may 1st 2012) A history of Graphic Design. [ONLINE] Available at: <http://guity-novin.blogspot.com/2010/05/chapter-29-propaganda-posters.html.> [Accessed 25 November 2013].

Dada

Dadaists wanted to move on and away from traditional art aesthetics. Their names was chosen simply by random, by opening a German dictionary and selecting a random word. One could refer to them as an anti-art movement. Their graphic work consisted of placing photos and words by chance, and the use of absurd titles. Dadaists aimed at making fun of what they called a society gone crazy. Artists in this movement such as Marcel Duchamp, painted a moustache on a replica of the Mona Lisa as an assault to tradition. This was not a Vandalistic act however that is what most of society took it as.

Dadaist said to have created photomontage, the cutting and joining of more than once picture/photo. This technique alone had a tremendous influence on graphic design. An example of such work is this peace by Hannah Höch.

Collage and Photomontage by Hannah Höch; Da-dandy; 1919

When it came to typography, Dadaists separated text from graphic work. The visual stood independent and did not need text dependant on it. Dadaists wanted people to analyse the shape of the text in its layout. Dadaist typography followed no linear rules or textual content. They did not make words bold and stick out because of importance but purely for its characteristics. Chaos was often seen on Dada works - non linear writing different fonts, different typefaces of different weights; everything going in different directions - no order.

This work perfectly implements what I explained above. There is lack of harmony and order. There is commotion over and the whole area leaving no blank space. The lack of black space insinuates lack of quiet and peace; its almost as thought they are shouting at us. Sometimes Dadaist works were taken to the extreme and were sometimes on the verge of being illegible.

A History of Graphic Design: Chapter 45; Dadaism; The meeting point of all contradictions. 2013. A History of Graphic Design: Chapter 45; Dadaism; The meeting point of all contradictions. [ONLINE] Available at: http://guity-novin.blogspot.com/2011/08/chapter-44-dadaism-meeting-point-of-all.html. [Accessed 25 November 2013].

ArtLex on Dada. 2013. ArtLex on Dada. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/d/dada.html. [Accessed 23 November 2013].

De Stijl

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De Stijl was originated in 1917 when artists were over the decorative pre-war design and wanted back order in art. All excess colour and decoration was to be removed and artists were to make use of only primary colours and black and white space. Unfortunately not many of their designs were build but nonetheless their influence on design was extreme. Van Doesburg was greatly influenced by the Dada movement and his works had a great influence on the Bauhaus. Their style was innovative, asymmetrical, disciplined and it made use of Sans Serif typeface. Rectangular blocks and straight lines were also a custom.  All modern designers embrace the grid, empty space and minimal simplicity. I personally think that creating designs with minimal aspects is wonderful in a world overwhelmed with visual language

Rietveld, Red and Blue Chair, 1918

The De Stijl elements were applied to this chair sometime after it was actually built. It shows the  use of primary colour and the interaction of vertical and horizontal aspects. 

Over the years the De stijl elements have been applied to several different objects ranging from cars to houses and architecture, paintings and even shoes. 

People also used inspiration from De Stijl in a graphical context. People used the design in Posters, not only as a cool approach to their ad but also as an advertisement for De Stijl itself. This Poster promoting an even about De Stijl is portrayed brilliantly as they used De Stijl elements throughout. We can see lots of blank space, silence so to speak. The use of primary colours and horizontal and vertical intersecting lines. The inspiration within this poster design is particularly taken from the axonometric architectural drawings of Theo Van doesburg. 

Know your design history: the utopian De Stijl movement. 2013. Know your design history: the utopian De Stijl movement. [ONLINE] Available at: <http://99designs.com/designer-blog/2012/12/18/know-your-design-history-the-utopian-de-stijl-movement/.> [Accessed 20 November 2013].

De Stijl. 2013. De Stijl. [ONLINE] Available at: <http://char.txa.cornell.edu/art/decart/destijl/decstijl.htm.> [Accessed 20 November 2013].