Page 31 - Studio International - September 1970

tionary art was ended. Answering Marx's
challenge to alter the world, the production
artists attempted to tear down the old ego-
centric systems for new sociocentric ones. An
art 'modern' by intent rather than by result,
the present as something defined not just re-
flected, environment viewed socially not
phenomenologically—the association of art
and ideology and the interaction of artistic
and social radicalism: all these questions were
thrown up by the art of the Russian Revolu-
tion. Possibly the most significant was the
idea of art transcending the strictly aesthetic
to effect social or behavioural results: a new
interpretation of the scope and function of
art, ultimately 'beyond' objects, successively
`democratizing' and downgrading its autono-
my until 'everything which is produced is art'.
That this was not to last was, however, some-
how implicit in the whole system. As Male-
vich wrote: 'We must recognize "short dura-
tion" as being the sharp distinction between
our epoch and the past—the moment of
creative impetus, the speedy displacement of
forms; there is no stagnation—only tempestu-
ous movement'.24 q

13 18
The old and the new, Moscow 1927 (architecture by Lissitzky, Proun 1 D, lithograph 1921. Courtesy
Zoltovsky) Annely Juda Fine Art, London
14 19
Malevich, Supremus 18, 1916/17. Courtesy Grosvenor Popova, Study for the stage set for The Magnificent
Gallery, London Cuckold (Meyerhold Theatre), 1922. Courtesy Annely
Juda Fine Art, London
15
El Lissitzky, Sieg uber die Sonne lithograph, 1923.
Courtesy Grosvenor Gallery, London
16
Rodchenko, Untitled, 1920. Courtesy Annely Juda
Fine Art, London
17
Andreenko, Constructivist Composition, c. 1920. Courtesy
Annely Juda Fine Art, London