Russian Constructivist art is an art movement consisting of simple geometric shapes straying away from natural realistic art pieces.

Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge (1920) 

Tatlin’s Tower (1919)

2)Describe some of the stylstic conventions associated with the expressionist art movement.

Some of the stylistic choices of this art form is extreme angles, flattened forms, garish colours and distorted views. This creates its unique look and aesthetic.

Task 1

The Russian Revolution was a period of political and social change in the Russian Empire, starting in 1917. This period saw Russia abolish its monarchy and adopt a socialist form of government following two successive revolutions and a bloody civil war.

Russian Revolution of 1917, Revolution that overthrew the imperial government and placed the Bolsheviks in power.

After Stalin died in March 1953, he was succeeded by Nikita Khrushchev as First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) and Georgy Malenkov as Premier of the Soviet Union.

Politically, it resulted in the downfall of four monarchies–in Russia in 1917, in Austria-Hungary and Germany in 1918, and in Turkey in 1922. It contributed to the Bolshevik rise to power in Russia in 1917 and the triumph of fascism in Italy in 1922.

Extreme angles, flattened forms, garish colors, and distorted views distinguish Expressionism, an international movement in art, architecture, literature, and performance that flourished between 1905 and 1920, especially in Germany and Austria.

Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it radically for emotional effect in order to evoke moods or ideas.

They used jagged, distorted lines; rough, rapid brushwork; and jarring colours to depict urban street scenes and other contemporary subjects in crowded, agitated compositions notable for their instability and their emotionally charged atmosphere.

El Lissitzky, Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge, 1920. Courtesy Tate

László Moholy-Nagy, A II (Construction A II), 1924. Courtesy Guggenheim

El Lissitzky, Study for “Proun” 8 Stellungen, 1923. Courtesy Guggenheim

Explain how the political social and economic upheaval created by the aftermath of both the Russian revolution and WW1 affected the production and content of classic soviet constructivist Cinema?

From 1917 to the 1953, Russia under went massive changes that lead to changes within the country. Due to unpopularity of the Tsarist regime with their neglect to the lower classes as well as their poor management with their frontier in the first world war, popular discontent grew rapidly with the emersion of the the Bolshevik party. Wanting to give power to the people, workers and others alike. Seeing how his ruling grew closer and closer to an end due to his unpopularity, Tsar Nicholas the second abdicated with his family. Taking over the winter palace, the Bolshevik leader, Vladimir Lenin, established the countries new control under the Soviet union.

The new government pulled out of the war, due to its causes of much harm to the Russian society. It came at a loss, however as some of its territory was lost due to agreements with the Germans. This caused former Tsarist military leaders and other Tsarist Loyalists to try and fight against the new Bolsheviks causing a civil war from 1917 to 1923. Due to the Tsars position as a rallying point for the Whites (Loyalists), the decision was made to have him executed. Staged as a photo with his family whist under house arrest, it was soon revealed to him it was a firing squad to crack down on the loyalists momentum, killed with an array of bullets his entire family which included his small children were murdered on the spot.

After finishing off the civil war, The Bolsheviks now named the USSR, could focus on making the country a powerful nation, under communism through different leaders and events such as the second world war under Stalin and Gorbachev at the end of its reign.

from 1917 to 1953 Russia went through a lot of changes which led to less people coming to the cinema because it was not as popular. the people in poverty could not afford to go anymore. they were in a war of politics.

From the outset, the leaders of this new state held that film would be the most ideal propaganda tool for the Soviet Union because of its widespread popularity among the established citizenry of the new land

Lenfilm, a film studio based in Leningrad, was the second-largest production company in the Soviet Union, after Mosfilm, the Moscow studio. At its height in the 1960s and early 1970s, when a cluster of young filmmakers began making adventurous new movies, it produced up to fifty films a year.

Explain how the political, social and economic upheaval created by the aftermath of both the Russian Revolution and WW1 affected the production and content of classic Soviet Constructivist Cinema – In 1917, the Russian revolution occurred in which Russia’s monarchy was abolished and eventually executed, and the Tsar-led government was overthrown in favour for the Bolsheviks political party, who believed in creating an even society for all Russians. The change in political values led to a civil war, which ended in 1922 and was won by the Red Army, who supported Bolshevik beliefs. The Soviet Union was established following the Red Army’s victory. The revolution also led to Russia exiting the first World War, since the civil conflict became the main priority of the Bolsheviks.

Name at least two directors and two films connected with each movement

German Expressionism

Directors – Robert Wiene (1873 – 1938), Fritz Lang (1890 – 1976)

Films – Destiny (1921 – Fritz Lang), The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920 – Robert Wiene)

Russian Constructivism

Directors – Lev Kuleshov (1899 – 1970), Dziga Vertov (1896 – 1954)

Films – Kino-Eye (1924 – Dziga Vertov), By the Law (1926 – Lev Kuleshov)

Explain the socio economic and political contexts which influenced each movement

Expressionism provided artists with the tools they needed to speak up about social issues and along with their distorted images, helped evoke emotions and ideas within others. They viewed the Industrial Revolution as alienating and dehumanizing. They also disliked 19th-century impressionism. A genre that focused on colour and “pretty” works of art with no depth.

Constructivism in Film examines the radical experiments of early Soviet filmmakers, with special emphasis on the relationship of Constructivist film to contemporary literature, painting, architecture and design. The constructivists believed art should directly reflect the modern industrial world.

1)Explain how the political, social and economic upheaval created by the aftermath of both the Russian revolution and WW1 affected the production and content of classic soviet constructivist cinema.

The Russian revolution of 1917 impacted the production and content of films of the classic soviet constructivist cinema. The way there were impacted was because they made films more based on propaganda for the Soviet Union and the content was completely controlled and restricted by the government.

Explain how the political, social and economic upheaval created by the aftermath of both the Russian Revolution and WW1 affected the production and content of classic Soviet Constructivist Cinema.

The Russian Revolution was a period of political and social change in the Russian Empire starting in 1917. It overthrew the imperial government and placed the Bolsheviks in power and saw Russia abolish its monarchy and adopt a socialist form of government following two successive revolutions and a civil war. Increasing governmental corruption, the reactionary policies of Tsar Nicholas II, and catastrophic Russian losses in World War I contributed to widespread dissatisfaction and economic hardship.