El Lissitzky: Creator of Innovative Space

Contents:

• Prouns
• Design and printing of the magazine "Ogonyok"
• Design of the exhibition area
• Design and design of the poetry collection of V. Mayakovsky
• Photo collages

Lazar Lisitsky, who became known as El in 1920, was born in 1890 in the Smolensk province. In his youth he moved to Vitebsk, where he became a student of the artist Yudel Pen. He then continued his studies at the Faculty of Architecture of the Higher Polytechnic School in Darmstadt and completed his education at the Riga Polytechnic Institute, receiving the qualification of engineer-architect.

From 1916 to 1919, Jewish culture became a key focus of his artistic work: Lissitzky created avant-garde illustrations for Yiddish books and co-founded the Kultur-Liga organization.

In 1919, Lissitzky began teaching architecture and graphics in Vitebsk. At the People's Art School, he collaborated with such outstanding artists as Marc Chagall and Kazimir Malevich. Chagall became Lissitzky's mentor in the field of Jewish painting, while Malevich introduced him to a new and exciting artistic movement – ​​Suprematism.

Suprematism subsequently became dominant, and Lissitzky no longer addressed Jewish themes in his works. However, within the framework of Suprematism, he sought to express his unique aspects, developing not simply geometric abstractions, but rather architectural projects that anticipated the future.

Lissitzky, who lived through the Revolution and the formation of the Soviet Union, also addressed socio-political issues in his works, creating propaganda posters. One of these posters is "Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge", which became a striking example of avant-garde art.

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Another significant stage in the avant-garde artist's career is associated with VKHUTEMAS. From 1925 to 1930, Lissitzky headed the Department of Furniture Design and Interior Artistic Decoration, transforming it into the first Soviet design school.

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In this article, we will discuss a number of projects and concepts that helped establish the name of the Soviet avant-garde artist on the international art scene.

Prouns

Seeking to combine the art of painting with architectural forms, El Lissitzky developed the concept of Prouns, which can be translated as "projects for the affirmation of the new." In his works, he actively played with flat Suprematist elements, exploring their interaction with volume and space. Lissitzky suggested that Prouns could serve as a "prototype of the architecture of the future."

He combined geometric planes with three-dimensional forms, which allowed him to create believable structures that seemed to float in the air. Lissitzky used specific color schemes to indicate characteristics such as the density, mass, or texture of various substances: metals, glass, wood, and concrete.

In his later period, Lissitzky adapted the compositional approaches he developed in his Prouns for use in fields such as design, architecture, and printing.

Magazine design and printing "Ogonyok"

Lissitzky developed numerous architectural designs, but only one was ever put into practice—the printing house for the magazine "Ogonyok," built in Moscow in 1932.

The architect worked on the concept for the upcoming printing house for only six weeks. During this period, he developed designs for the editorial buildings, the printing shop, the garage, and the transformer substation. The entire architectural composition is executed in the spirit of constructivism.

This project particularly highlights the vertical glazing, as well as an interesting combination of two types of windows in one of the buildings - large rectangular and compact round.

This complex is currently recognized as a cultural heritage site.

Design of the exhibition site

Lisitsky, who coordinated several all-Union exhibitions and directed the USSR pavilions at international events, proposed an innovative a method of organizing exhibition spaces.

He was one of the pioneers in transforming exhibitions into interactive forms. For example, in a project called "Cabinet of Abstractions," he placed a sculpture in a mirrored corner, allowing viewers to examine it from every possible angle. In another case, paintings were hung in niches covered with blinds, allowing visitors to choose which works they wanted to see.

In addition, Lissitzky used complex lighting systems and moving elements to design exhibition spaces. In this way, he transformed static displays into real performances.

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VKHUTEMAS, which became known as an important center of art education in Russia, has its own history dating back to the early 20th century. The educational institution was founded in 1920 with the aim of training specialists in the field of fine arts, architecture and design. It emerged from several art schools and associations that sought to introduce new ideas and approaches to art.

Initially, VKHUTEMAS focused on constructivist trends, actively incorporating the principles of rationality and functionality into the creative process. Teaching at the school was based on the interaction of various disciplines, such as painting, sculpture, architecture, and graphics, which allowed for the creation of a unique educational program.

Over time, VKHUTEMAS became a symbol of innovation and experimentation in art, attracting talented students and teachers, including renowned artists and designers. This educational institution had a significant influence on the development of artistic culture in the Soviet Union, contributing to the formation of new trends and styles.

However, over time, the approaches and concepts used at VKHUTEMAS changed, due to changes in the political and social life of the country. Despite the difficulties, the educational institution continued to develop, adapting to new conditions and remaining an important player in the art scene. As a result, VKHUTEMAS became not only a place of education but also a cultural center where various creative ideas and movements intersected.

Design and layout of V. Mayakovsky's poetry collection

This is another original solution proposed by Lissitzky, this time in the field of printing. In 1923, he designed a collection of Mayakovsky's poems, "For the Voice," as a reference book. Lissitzky cut a step-like register along the edge of the book block, displaying titles and pictograms, allowing readers to quickly find the poems they were looking for.

The pages of the publication featured Suprematist images, and the first spread featured geometric shapes and the letters Л, Ю, and Б enclosed in a circle. These letters symbolize the initials of Lilya Yuryevna Brik, with whom Mayakovsky was in love. When read in a circle, the letters form the word "love."

In some places, the lines of the poems were underlined with lines of varying widths, and individual words were highlighted with color accents and graphic symbols. In this way, Lissitzky created a rhythm for the reader and introduced an additional visual element that enhanced the impact of the text.

Photo Collages

For Lissitzky, photography was not just a means of recording reality, but a tool for experimentation. He created multi-layered and deep images using printing photographs from several negatives simultaneously.

Lissitzky used the photogram method, which allows you to create images without using a camera. This process is based on photochemical reactions and involves the use of a lamp and special paper or film. This approach allowed objects in the image to be displayed with sharper or blurred edges.

Lissitzky used the photo collage method to design book covers, magazines, advertising materials, and posters.

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