russian sfsr early sovietconcept:era modern
Figure
Oil on plywood by Varvara Stepanova (1921). A geometric figure of rectangular and cylindrical forms — a human body rendered as machine-like assembly. Made in the year of the Constructivists' declaration. MoMA, New York.
Scholarly Significance
Anchor Stepanova's practice at the pivot from painting to Constructivist design.
Notes
- ·Painted 1921 — same year Stepanova signed the Constructivists' declaration renouncing easel painting.
- ·Human body rendered as geometric machine-analog — reflects Productivist ideology.
- ·Made on plywood: materiality consistent with Constructivist preference for industrial supports.
- ·Shortly after, Stepanova abandoned painting for textile design, typographic design, and theatrical work.