Russian avant-garde

The Russian avant-garde was a big and important wave of modern art that grew in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union from about 1890 to 1930. Some people think it began even earlier, around 1850, and ended as late as 1960. This name covers many different but linked 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 had its highest point creatively and popularly between the Russian Revolution of 1917 and 1932. During this time, the ideas of the avant-garde did not match the new state-supported style of Socialist Realism.

Influence

The Russian avant-garde had a big impact on modern art and design. They influenced many areas like shapes, buildings, movies, and sculpture. Artists such as Kazimir Malevich and Vladimir Tatlin created simple and clear shapes that inspired many others.

Their ideas spread around the world through exhibitions, books, and artists traveling to different places.

These artists also changed the way we design everyday things like books, posters, and clothes. Their work helped start modern design in Europe in the 1920s. Their ideas continued to inspire artists and designers for many years to come.

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 had 400 pieces from 110 artists. The work showed art 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 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 important art journals. Two key ones were LEF and Mir iskusstva. These journals helped share the ideas and artworks of that 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 change how plays were performed and told stories on stage during a busy time 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 about keeping these buildings safe. In 2007, MoMA in New York City showed photos of these buildings. The photos were taken by Richard Pare.