Spatial Construction no. 12
Aleksandr Rodchenko
Russian, 1891–1956
c. 1920
Aleksandr Rodchenko’s suspended plywood-and-wire construction, partially painted with aluminum, in which he transforms solid mass into intersecting planes to make space and motion legible.
Overlapping ovals and starburst-like blades seem to twist in midair, their thin ribs and silvery surfaces catching light and casting intricate, shifting shadows that animate the surrounding space.
A hallmark of Rodchenko’s Constructivist turn, this work helped redefine sculpture by using industrial materials and negative space to emphasize movement, spatial relationships, and the viewer’s experience.
Medium
Plywood, open construction partially painted with aluminum paint, and wire
Dimensions
24 x 33 x 18 1/2" (61 x 83.7 x 47 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Acquisition made possible through the extraordinary efforts of George and Zinaida Costakis, and through the Nate B. and Frances Spingold, Matthew H. and Erna Futter, and Enid A. Haupt Funds
Accession
156.1986
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
