On Constructivism

The Royal Academy's 'Building the Revolution' exhibit recently opened to much critical acclaim by fusing the works of Popova and the like with oversized photographs of some of the Soviet Union's most celebrated structures. Central to this exhibit is of course the Shukhov Tower: 160 meters of interlocking lattices just a mile or two south of the Kremlin. The Tower's juxtaposition of fragility of masculinity has made it a favourite around the world yet hidden throughout Britain are uncelebrated structures which mirror its urban beauty.

The Regents Canal - London's most prominent industrial waterway since 1812 - houses a range of post-industrial treasures not least the Haggerstone Gas Works. Like the Shukhov Tower the works were built with utility in mind: their heavy steel arches serve as a testament to Britain's fading industrial past and suggest that functionality really is beauty. In years past structures like the Haggerstone Gas Works and its visually stunning neighbour across the Thames the Greenwich Gas Holder have been virtually ignored and dismantled piece by piece to make way for new developments. The Greenwich Gas Holder dates back to 1882 making it part of the last gas works to be built in London. As was common at the time a lattice structure was chosen to ensure protection against the elements.

As Britain's industrial stock declined and consumption culture gathered pace public art and design drew not from functionality but from fashion. However almost as a backlash to an obsessive 'throw away' culture the past two years have seen a steady rise in the influence of utilitarian Constructivism on popular British art.

Anish Kapoor is perhaps the artist who has displayed the greatest debt to Constructivism. His 'Temenos' sculpture in Middlesborough paid tribute to the areas industrial heritage and the contorted arches of his 'ArcelorMittal Orbit' in Stratford clearly take influence from industrial design. It is perhaps no surprise that the name itself borrows from Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal.

Kapoor suggests that "much of what I make is geometric, and has a kind of almost mathematical logic to the form" an approach similar to that of Eva Rothschild who in 2009 produced 'Cold Corners' an austere sculpture of twenty six interlocking triangles running the length of the Tate Gallery. Although black aluminium tubing and not steel was the chosen medium the effect was no less striking than the Shukhov Tower or indeed the lattices of the Greenwich Gas Holder.

The influence of Constructivism is also strong in mens clothing. Scottish brand 6876 has, for over 15 years, created utilitarian silhouettes using stain repellant and self cleaning nanosphere technology. In a similar vein Margaret Howells MHL line has come to be defined by its almost industrial stark lines and silhouettes. Although the current fashion for 'heritage' wear touches upon industrial design (see for example the number of Donkey jackets released over the past two years!) the Constructivist influence has been somewhat sidelined and  confined to a niche of forward thinking and often small brands. 

As the art world embraced the ugly-beauty of what's left of Britain's urban landscape it is possible that mens clothing will move in a similar direction possibly towards the heavily industrial influenced Commes de Garcon collections of the 1990s. Similarly as trends in the art world change Constructivism will no doubt fall by the way side. However I strongly hope that our oft unloved industrial sculptures will remain both as a testament to British ingenuity and an inspiration to future artists and designers.