Contemporary Russian Design

I searched for a long time to find contemporary posters or advertisements from Russia. I found many connections between artwork from after the Bolshevik Revolution and contemporary works of today.

The images from El Lissitzky and Rodchenko are from just after the revolution (images to the right). Stylistically, these posters have a defined grid and layout. They are asymmetrical and primarily utilize neutral colors with bright accents. The two designs also instruct the viewer to feel something or do something.

The images below are contemporary examples. These designs have been influenced by the work from after the Bolshelvik Revolution. The first design is a movie poster from the early 80's. It utilizes asymmetry and the characters have strong facial expressions that evoke emotion. The second image is a design by Avanov from 1989. The single bright color draws attention to the center of the poster. This is very similar to the poster by Rodchenko that is above. The neutral colors balance out the bright color and the geometric shapes. The composition is asymmetrical and has an underlying grid. The final image is an event poster from 2008. This design utilizes grid, layout, and instruction. The simple color palette puts focus on shape and negative space. This design has obviously been influenced by the work of the Russian Constructivists.

Contemporary Russian design resembles that of Russian Constructivism, but that is not the only period that can be seen. I look forward to learning more about the other periods that have directly influenced art of today. There has been such a connection between each and every period, each piece from today has hundreds of influences and connections to art from previous periods. Every design choice comes from somewhere, something we've seen, whether we consciously think about it or not. I wonder who and how our work will influence graphic designers in 50 or 100 years.


LB
Sources: Flickr.com