Productivism (art)

Productivism
	"The Sportsmen" by Kazimir Malevich, 1929-30.
Location	Russia
Major figures	Aleksei Gan, Alexander Rodchenko, Varvara Stepanova
Influences	Russian folk art, Arts and Crafts movement, Cubism, Futurism Constructivism
Influenced	Bauhaus and De Stijl

Productivism is an early twentieth-century art movement that is characterized by its spare geometry, limited color palette, and Cubist and Futurist influences. Aesthetically, it also looks similar to work by Kazimir Malevich and the Suprematists.

But where Constructivism sought to reflect modern industrial society and urban space and Suprematism sought to create "anti-materialist, abstract art that originated from pure feeling," Productivism's goal was to create accessible art in service to the proletariat, with artists functioning more like "engineers ... than easel painters."^[1]^[2]

"We declare uncompromising war on art!"^[1] Aleksei Gan wrote in a 1922 manifesto.^[3] Alexander Rodchenko, Varvara Stepanova, Kazimir Malevich, El Lissitzky, Liubov Popova, and others similarly renounced pure art in favor of serving society, a resolution born of extensive discussion and debate at the Moscow-based Institute of Artistic Culture (INKhUK), the Society of Young Artists, journals of the day and organizations like Higher State Artistic and Technical Workshops (VKhUTEMAS) all of whom agreed on the need for a radical break from the "critical and material radicalization of Constructivism."^[2]^[4]

^ ^a ^b Hillegas, Laura (2019-01-04). "The Constructivists Imagined a World Where Art Was Created in Factories". Artsy. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
^ ^a ^b Rodney, Seph (2019-03-28). "The Artistic Explosion in Turn-of-the-Century Soviet Russia". Hyperallergic. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
^ "The constructivists and the Russian revolution in art and achitecture". the Guardian. 2011-11-04. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
^ Martins, Luiz Renato (2017-01-01). "Transition from Constructivism to Productivism, According to Tarabukin". The Conspiracy of Modern Art: 194–212. doi:10.1163/9789004346086_012. ISBN 9789004346086.

[:0-1] Hillegas, Laura (2019-01-04). "The Constructivists Imagined a World Where Art Was Created in Factories". Artsy. Retrieved 2021-11-09.

[:1-2] Rodney, Seph (2019-03-28). "The Artistic Explosion in Turn-of-the-Century Soviet Russia". Hyperallergic. Retrieved 2021-11-09.

[3] "The constructivists and the Russian revolution in art and achitecture". the Guardian. 2011-11-04. Retrieved 2021-11-09.

[4] Martins, Luiz Renato (2017-01-01). "Transition from Constructivism to Productivism, According to Tarabukin". The Conspiracy of Modern Art: 194–212. doi:10.1163/9789004346086_012. ISBN 9789004346086.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]