🎨 An art movement 📚 A learning theory

constructivism

1 9.8

An art movement from Russia after World War I that uses factory materials to make abstract objects

noun
/kənˈstrʌk.tɪ.vɪ.zəm/

: constructivismo

Russian constructivism emphasizes the use of industrial materials to create abstract forms in art.
Russian constructivism
critical constructivism

Examples

Constructivism has two subgroups: one which focuses on the interaction among students, and the other focusing on each student's perceptions.

Academic text (2003)
Arvatov was a member of the INKhUK, the Institute of Artistic Culture established in Moscow in 1920, where Russian Constructivism was first formulated in 1921.

Academic text (1997)
So constructivism tells that whatever is functional is beautiful.
In the United States, this concept was first described around 1900 in the context of constructivism.

Academic text (2008)
The term constructivism encompasses diverse philosophical and psychological viewpoints.

Academic text (2007)
Many artists of the 20th century were influenced by constructivism, which focused on geometric shapes and new technologies.
The exhibition featured numerous pieces that exemplified the principles of constructivism in modern art.

Surface Forms

constructivism singular

constructivisms plural

Morphology

constructivism = constructive (semi-transparent) = construct + ive + ism

Formed by adding '-ism' to the adjective 'constructive' but the sense as a named art movement is a specialized historical use that is not fully predictable from the adjective alone.

Etymology

Constructivism comes from the word construct ('to build') and the ending -ism that names a movement or idea. It began as a Russian art movement where artists 'built' abstract works from metal and other industrial parts, so the name reminds us that this art is about making and construction.