pieces were produced with communist goals in mind. What the constructivists were trying to do was to essentially redefine the role of art in the world. They wanted art to be useful to everyone- not just visible in a museum. Their ideas were radical, but the actual change to the nature of the art world and the role of art in society was slow. Oval hanging construction is part of a series of spatial structures all based on concentric geometry. This series was first exhibited at the third OMBKhU exhibition (Society of Young Artists) Rodchenko was exploring space with these works- more specifically, the bridge between two and three dimensions. All the works hung from the ceiling- and all had the dynamic ability to collapse flat. This feature was at the same time incredibly practical. It was exactly the kind of idea that constructivists strove for. Dynamism is one of the most important features in Rodchenko’s work. The potential for movement in all of these pieces creates an interesting similarity with Giacometti’s “woman.” Giacometti’s “woman” moves, the lines and angles created by the “legs” seem to twist and writhe. It can be seen as a struggle- the last twitching of a person near death. The way the geometric elements are connected suggests movement as well through the sweeping curves combined with the sharp angles of the joints. Rodchenko and Giacometti are vastly different artists, and come from vastly different movements.One is intensely based on dreams and feelings- Giacometti’s work is strongly based on the unconscious fantasy of rape and violence. Rodchenko’s piece is practical. It is thought out, calculated to economize art by creating a cheap and practical “art object” that is appealing to every eye. The piece even folds up to a convenient size for storage and setup, while maintaining very valid reasons for being looked at. Rodchenko is deci...
