Vladimir tatlin biography

Soviet Constructivism

The origins of constructivism may be said to date from Cezanne's paintings, which he himself described as "constructions after nature", although a more immediate precursor of Soviet Constructivism was Picasso who, in 1912, began making mixed media constructions (junk sculptures) out of wire, sheet metal and other industrial materials: see, for instance Guitar (1912-13, MOMA, New York).

Similar constructivist works were also made by Vladimir Baranoff-Rossine (1888-1944) - see Symphony No 1 (1913, MOMA, New York) - and by Futurists like Umberto Boccioni (1882-1916), who was already beginning to use new materials in his works.

Of course Picasso was still working within the illusionist tradition of western fine art, but it was his Cubist mixed media constructions, with their use of glass, plastic and other industrial oddments, that inspired Tatlin when he visited the Frenchman in his Paris studio in 1913.

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