Aleksandr Ródtchenko's Constructivist Photography Showcased in Brazil for First Time

The Moscow House of Photography, under the direction of Olga Sviblova, presents the first comprehensive exhibition of Russian constructivist Aleksandr Ródtchenko's photographic work in Brazil. Spanning 1924 to 1954, the show features 170 pieces including photographs, photomontages, posters, and magazine covers. Ródtchenko, born in 1891, embraced photography as an autonomous artistic language during the 1920s, aligning with avant-garde movements in Germany, France, and the United States. His experimental techniques—multiple exposures, diagonal compositions, and unconventional angles—challenged static compositional rules. In 1928, he advocated photographing everyday objects from unexpected perspectives to renew visual perception. His innovative viewpoints, including from above and below, were contemporaneously explored by Hungarian photographer Moholy-Nagy at the Bauhaus, leading some critics to allege plagiarism. Ródtchenko's work redefined portraiture, capturing figures like Russian poet Vladímir Maiakóvski, and was influenced by geometric abstraction, cinema, and new photojournalism. Despite being ostracized late in life and barred from exhibitions, his first posthumous show occurred a year after his 1956 death. His photography remains critically relevant today.