Alexander Rodchenko and Varvara Stepanova in the studio. Photo: Mikhail Kaufman

On Mondays, most Moscow museums are closed, but this does not mean that the public does not have the opportunity to join the beautiful. Especially for the first day of the week, the editors of the online edition of the site launched a new section "10 Unknowns", in which we introduce you to ten works of world art, united by one theme. Print out our guide and feel free to take it to the museum starting from Tuesday.

On September 24, the Multimedia Art Museum opened the exhibition "Alexander Rodchenko. Experiences for the Future", dedicated to the 125th anniversary of the birth of the most important Russian avant-garde photographer.

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Alexander Rodchenko "Varvara Stepanova - a Komsomol member with books. Photo for a poster of the State Publishing House", 1924

The exhibition "Alexander Rodchenko. Experiences for the Future" opened last weekend at the Multimedia Art Museum. The curators managed to collect on three floors all the forms of art with which the master worked: there are more than a hundred photographs, paintings, graphic works and three-dimensional objects. The photographs show the main characters and events of the avant-garde: Rodchenko's wife Varvara Stepanova, the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky, Lilya Brik, as well as demonstrations, parades, premieres, construction sites. That is, everything that the 1920s, enthusiastically looking into the future, will be remembered for.

Alexander Rodchenko "Vladimir Mayakovsky with Skotik", 1926

It must be said that the main thing that the curators managed to achieve was to get away from the one-sided and therefore deceptive idea of ​​Rodchenko as a photographer who shot only avant-garde compositions in dynamic perspectives. The exhibition features reportage and genre photography, non-staged photographs of family and friends, and wonderful pictorial experiences in the spirit of Malevich.

Vladimir Mayakovsky Rodchenko photographed especially a lot. They not only worked together on propaganda posters and advertisements, but were close friends.

Alexander Rodchenko "Lilya Brik", 1924

Lilya Brik was called "the muse of the Russian avant-garde". In the storms of socio-political events of the 20th century, Brik was able to maintain the bourgeois tradition of literary and artistic salons, where all the artistic intelligentsia gathered. She was the lover of Vladimir Mayakovsky, despite the fact that she was married to literary critic Osip Brik. She also initiated the creation of the first memorial museum of the poet.

Alexander Rodchenko often photographed Lilya Brik. She modeled on one of his most famous "Buy Lengies Books" posters. And, of course, Vladimir Mayakovsky introduced them. Black and white photographs hide a lot from the modern viewer - the poet and photographer, like many contemporaries, admired her eyes, about which Mayakovsky wrote: "round and brown, hot to the point of burning", fiery red hair, "sensual grin" and mobile facial expressions .

Alexander Rodchenko "Morning in the apartment of Vladimir Mayakovsky and Brikov in Gendrikov Lane", 1926

Mayakovsky even lived with the Briks, and this triple creative union did not seem strange to anyone. Rodchenko and Varvara Stepanova occupied the position of informal family members. They led a truly bohemian life, which, of course, was quite bold in the realities of the avant-garde and Soviet life.

Alexander Rodchenko "Fire Escape", 1925

Rodchenko is best known, of course, as a constructivist photographer. His subject photographs are distinguished by dynamics, complex foreshortenings, sharp perspectives, rhythmic pattern of forms, play of light and shadow. Therefore, Rodchenko created a whole series of photographs with stairs, pedestrians and factory conveyors: he chose such subjects where the same pattern is repeated many times, setting a certain rhythm for black and white silhouettes.

Alexander Rodchenko "Jug", 1928

Still life in photography for Rodchenko became another field of study of light-shadow play on the surface. It was important for the photographer not to convey the essence and purpose of this or that object, but to turn it into a rhythmic motif of forms.

Alexander Rodchenko "Toilet", 1929

Another great example of how the photographer worked with genre motifs. Even such a naive and touching motif, as in this picture, he managed to turn into an avant-garde experience, coming close to the subject and photographing it from a sharp angle from above.

Alexander Rodchenko "Girl with a Watering Can", 1934

In the early 30s, Rodchenko created a photo group in the legendary creative association "October" and Yevgenia Lemberg became his student and lover. Their romance ended quickly, but left a deep emotional mark on the photographer's life. A few years later, Rodchenko wrote: "Varvara's love for me is unusually deep ... But for Varvara as a woman after Zhenya, nevertheless, feelings do not come back ..."

Alexander Rodchenko "Lilya Brik with a mirror", 1929

Lilya Brik embodied the entire Russian avant-garde. In addition to the literary salon and the affair with Mayakovsky, she drove a car and participated in car races, which was a radical step for a woman. Once, in 2001, the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts hosted the legendary exhibition "Amazons of the Russian Avant-Garde", where Brik was devoted to a separate section.

Andrei Voznesensky wrote: "She had a unique talent for taste, she was a tuning fork for several generations of poets. You went to her salon not to show your tie, but to read your new one, worrying whether she would accept it or not?"

Alexander Rodchenko "Radio listener", 1929

The picture shows the daughter of Rodchenko and Stepanova Varvara Rodchenko. For many years, she was the main keeper of the collection of films, prints, graphics, as well as letters and diaries of parents, which were not destroyed or taken abroad only thanks to her. In the early 2000s, she donated it to the collection of the Pushkin Museum.

It so happened that photography has become a branch of art with unknown heroes. It is worth asking any person about their favorite artist, poet or writer, and he will name several famous names. And if you ask to name your favorite photographer, then few people can do it. But there is a genius in Russian photography that almost everyone knows. Let not all by name, but it will be hard to find someone who has never seen his work. This person is Alexander Rodchenko.

Biography

Alexander Rodchenko was born on December 5, 1891 in St. Petersburg. His father worked as a theater props and was categorically opposed to his son starting a career in art. He wanted Alexander to have a "normal" profession. Following the wishes of his father, Rodchenko received a specialized education and even worked for several years in his specialty - a prosthetist. But, having decided to stop the practice, at the age of 20 he entered the Kazan Art School, after graduating he went to study further - at the Stroganov School. From 1920 to 1930, Rodchenko held a professorship in several art educational institutions. In 1930-1931, he was involved in the creation of the October photo association. In 1932-1935 he worked as a correspondent for the Izogiz publishing house. During this period, Rodchenko created his debut series of sports photographs. From 1935 to 1938, he served as a member of the editorial board of the Soviet Photo magazine and began to specialize in shooting sports events. One of the most famous photographs of the author of those years "Sports Column".

In 1938-1940, Rodchenko made a project about the Soviet circus, but, due to the outbreak of war, the photographs were never published. During the war years, he was evacuated, where he worked as the chief artist of the House of Technology. From 1945 to 1955, Rodchenko designed a number of albums dedicated to historical events, and also created a series of propaganda posters. In 1951, due to disagreements with the leadership, he was expelled from the Union of Artists, but three years later he was restored back.

Creation

Alexander Rodchenko was a multifaceted personality. This is not just a photographer, but also a painter, designer and teacher. The greatest popularity came to him precisely thanks to the pictures, which, in terms of the technique and idea used, were significantly ahead of their time.

The master did not recognize the canons and rules, he created his own style, which was included in the textbooks during the life of the author. The most famous, made contrary to the dogmas of photographic art of those years, were the sharply documentary work “Portrait of a Mother”, as well as a series of photographs by Vladimir Mayakovsky and Lily Brik.

Sometimes Rodchenko's approach was too progressive for his time, some of his work was subjected to a flurry of criticism. Thus, the well-known picture "Pioneer Trumpeter" was recognized as politically incorrect - according to critics, the boy in the photo turned out to look like a "fat bourgeois", which did not correspond to the spirit of Soviet propaganda.

In the 1930s, the master filmed material about the construction of the White Sea Canal, and this shook his bright faith in the justice of socialism, and with it the desire to engage in propaganda work. That is why he became interested in the genre of sports photography, achieved serious success in it.

In sports photography, Rodchenko was able to fully use the style that later became his hallmark -. This approach made it possible to “revive” and make interesting even the most banal plot.

One of the most popular works of the master was the picture "Girl with a watering can", which depicts his student Evgenia Lemberg. This masterpiece received worldwide recognition and in 1994 was sold at Christie's auction for 115 thousand pounds.

The post-war years were marked by a black stripe for Rodchenko. There was little work, money was barely enough to live on, the photographer often had periods of depression. In 1951, he was expelled from the Union of Artists for "departure from socialist realism".

Four years later, it was restored back, but Alexander Rodchenko did not have time to create new masterpieces - a few months later, on December 3, 1956, the heart of the genius of Russian photography stopped forever.

Influence on the development of photography

It is difficult to overestimate the influence that Alexander Rodchenko had on the development of Russian photography. He was a pioneer of the Russian avant-garde - he destroyed the established rules in photography and set new ones that corresponded to his vision. He became the luminary of Soviet propaganda, although he later suffered from the oppression of the system, despite his outstanding merits.

Rodchenko wrote that he wanted to create photographs that he had never taken before; those that will surprise and amaze, displaying life itself in its simplicity and complexity. Without a doubt, he succeeded, and the pictures taken by the master earned the right to be printed in any modern book on photography.

He went through a radical change in home country and ended up launching drastic changes in his chosen art form. “We are obliged to experiment,” declared Rodchenko, who abandoned “contemplative” photography.

Alexander Mikhailovich Rodchenko was born in St. Petersburg in 1891, saw the end of the tsarist empire, met the coming of Lenin, and witnessed the Stalinist repressions. As the son of a turbulent generation, he himself was restless. Although his first artistic work, which appeared during the 1910s and 1920s, was part of the booming Russian avant-garde, Rodchenko became one of many artists whose creative instincts curbed the strict principles of artistic expression operating under Soviet rule. From the 1930s until his death in 1956, his work focused on sporting events, parades and other traditional propaganda themes.

From March 7 to June 28, 2015, Villa Manin, a commune of Codroipo in northern Italy, is hosting an exhibition featuring one hundred works by the artist. His works show themes technique and ingenuity of Rodchenko. The collection includes works for magazines, films and advertising, as well as beautiful compositions created together with his wife and colleague Varvara Stepanova.

Rodchenko's early works betray a gifted and daring artist who seemingly infuses new life into mundane paintings. This exhibition is devoid of the dictates of socialist realism in order to show the vivid, thoughtful and memorable images for which Alexander Rodchenko is known.

Portrait of Lilia Brik on the poster "Books", 1924

Sketch for a poster for Dziga Vertov's documentary Kino-Eye, 1924

Morning exercises on the roof of a student dormitory in Lefortovo, 1932

Pioneer trumpeter, 1930

Shukhov Tower, 1929

Mother's portrait, 1924

Varvara Stepanova, 1928

Radio listener, 1929

Staircase, 1930

Mosselprom building, 1926

Asphalt laying, Leningrad highway, 1929

Boats, 1926

Bus, 1932

Lunch in a mechanized canteen, 1932

Girl with a watering can, 1934

I really love the avant-garde of the 20-30s, constructivism and Mayakovsky's poetry. For me, this is a time of a little crazy creativity of naive romantics, a time of bold search and revolutionary experiments, as short as inhalation and exhalation. Inhale - after the overthrow of the old ideals of boring academism, exhale - before they tightly squeezed their throats and cut off oxygen altogether.

And this time is unthinkable without photographs of Alexander Rodchenko.
Later, his ill-wishers accused him of plagiarism - they say that he "borrowed" his style from some foreign masters of photography, did not invent anything new, and so on. But we don’t care about all this spitefulness, do we? Rodchenko is interesting not only as a master of photography (indisputable at that), but also as an invaluable chronicler, a witness of the era, stubbornly wanting to see only the good in it (even on the White Sea Canal filming). However, for such blind optimism, the artist himself was severely punished over time.

Rodchenko's experiments with chiaroscuro are very interesting - I really like how he turned out highlights on the pavement - contrasting, but still soft.

Another direction of search is unusual angles ("Fire Escape", 1925)

The sharp eye of the artist notices "vital geometry" everywhere ("Boats", 1926)

Photos on the campus in Lefortovo (1932).

The aesthetic is very reminiscent of what we see later in Leni Riefenstahl's Olympia.

Ibid

Textbook photograph - "Behind the worms", 1933

"Pioneer trumpeter", 1930

Mounter on a pole. 1929

"Parade of Dynamo" 1928

Pines in Pushkino. 1927

The Mosselprom building was designed by Rodchenko and his wife Varvara Stepanova, the slogan "Nowhere but in Mosselprom" was invented by Mayakovsky.

Even historical architecture can be filmed with such a twist that it is impossible to recognize (1928).

I love constructivism!

"Railway bridge". 1926
I think that in 10 years the author himself looked at this photo with a shudder. Why - find out further.

"Demonstration Gathering". 1928

"Laying asphalt", 1929

Shukhov Tower.

"White Swan". 1940

"Bathing in the basin." 1937

"Summer day". 1929

An interesting series - "Glass and Light", 1926

Report from the factory-kitchen. 1932

Same

Same

Same

Sport is a separate topic of creativity, quite extensive.

It is especially interesting to look at the portraits of Rodchenko's contemporaries and friends, and he had interesting ones!

Alexander Dovzhenko

Actress Yulia Solntseva, beautiful wife of Alexander Dovzhenko (1930).

Mother's portrait, 1924

Evgenia Sokolova (Pearl), the second wife of Osip Brik. Dressed in a costume designed by Varvara Stepanova

Film director Gleb Kuleshov

Artist Lyubov Popova, friend and co-author of Varvara Stepanova

Varvara Stepanova and Lyubov Popova

Poet Nikolai Aseev

Elsa Triolet, Lily Brik's sister

Film director Esfir Shub

A special page of creativity - portraits of the Mayakovsky-Brikov circle. Literally a detailed chronicle of their lives!

Rodchenko has a lot of portraits of Vladimir Mayakovsky. They were friends and associates in the LEF.

Briks' house. Left to right: Mayakovsky ( rare photo where he smiles), Varvara Stepanova, Osip Beskin and Lilya Brik (terribly thin!), 1928.

Cartoon portrait of Osip Brik

Mayakovsky brought Lilichka "renoshka" from abroad, and she decided to arrange a run from Moscow to Leningrad (1929, Lilya had already divorced Osip, a year remained before Mayakovsky's suicide). Rodchenko took with her as a photojournalist. Rest on the way, Lily preens. God, what's wrong with her?!

The rally ended ingloriously - a tire was pierced 20 km from Moscow and they decided to return.

Lilya drove the car herself - she was the first female driver in the capital. Here she is 38.

Rodchenko did not have an affair with Lily (it seems), but he clearly fell under the spell of this demonic woman.

The secret of the attractiveness of the "muse of the Russian avant-garde" in this photo is obvious.

Lilya in a scarf with a print by Varvara Stepanova.
The development of patterns for fabrics is one of the most famous activities of Rodchenko's wife. She also developed signage, advertising, painting and graphics.

Let's finally remember Barbara.

Barbara on the couch.1928

They met at an art school in Kazan, where Varvara studied in 1910-14. They lived for a long time in a civil marriage, signed only in 1942 in evacuation. They had a daughter, a grandson is still alive today. Lived together for 40 years. It was a very strong union, not only love, but also creative.

"Courier". In the role of the Courier - Barbara.

I really like this portrait - so warm and intimate. loving eyes(and the lens) Rodchenko saw such an ugly wife in general. Who's to say she's not attractive in this photo?!

Barbara in a dress made of fabric with a pattern according to her own sketch.

"Smile" (Barbara, 1930)

And this is what the cozy family boat of Rodchenko-Stepanova almost crashed against.

In this famous photo"Girl with a Watering Can" (1934) depicts Zhenya Lemberg, a young student of Rodchenko.

Rodchenko became seriously interested in Zhenya, they had a relationship, secret and painful. The photographer was torn between Zhenya and Varvara, who loves him. In addition, he was embarrassed by the difference in age and interests - he was 43, Zhenya - 26. After much doubt, he broke up with the girl, but for some time they continued to work together. It all ended tragically - Zhenya died in a railway accident in 1934.

"Three reporters" (Lemberg (sitting), Krasnyavskaya, Ignatovich).

Interestingly, Lemberg invited Rodchenko to come with her on her fateful trip, but he did not go. Then, judging by his diary entries, Zhenya often dreamed of him alive, for many years. And feelings for Varvara never returned, although they lived together until the end of their lives.

The Girl with the Watering Can was sold at Christie's in 1992 for £115,000.

After the war, the Stepanova and Rodchenko families fell on hard times. The avant-garde was actually banned back in the late 1930s, the LEF was dispersed long ago. Mayakovsky, Lyubov Popova, Osip Brik and many other friends were not alive. P socialist realism solemnly marched about the country, innovation and experimentation were not only not in demand, but also dangerous. In 1951, Rodchenko, "as a formalist", was expelled from the Union of Artists (it's good that at least they weren't arrested!). A couple of artists were out of work for months, Alexander now occasionally photographed sports competitions and circus performers, and was engaged in painting. Varvara worked as an art editor for the magazine. They were pursued by lack of money and longing for lack of demand.

In 1956, the brilliant photographer died of a stroke at the age of 64; Varvara survived him by only a year and a half. They were buried nearby, at the Donskoy cemetery in Moscow.

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