the suprematist, avant garde artist
El Lissitzky caught everyones eye by catching them with his own ability of constructing flat shapes to three dimensional forms, this is why Lissitzky has an avant-garde perspective. Avant-garde is a new era, that comes in every aspect but in Lissitzky's mind, this new era is the art & political movement. Propaganda is one of his favourite tools in his works of design, of visual communication. Propaganda posters used for the communist party, an example of this is the famous : 'Beat the whites with the Red wedge' supporting the red army. El Lissitzky played a lot with symbols, but always kept the same 3 colours - Black, White & Red all of these symbolise the soviet union.
Beating the whites using the Red wedge - Meaning of shapes
The strong element of propaganda, Lissitzky using shapes to communicate visually and effectively on the waging of the Bolsheviks on the Red army. The Red wedge here is translated as the 'Revolutionaries' the ones who penetrated the anti-communist army (the whites), right after there is the element of colour, the use of 3 primary colours - chosen to reinforce the working title and even contribute the colours with the movement. Looking closer, 2 primary elements regarding shape - the red triangle & the smooth, curved walls of the white circle are in control of the composition. The red triangle is piercing deep inside, with its sharp pointy tip (themed with - the red army has pierced, broke the defence line of the white army. Lissitzky left a question of space, is it negative or positive ? This remarks to the graphic design elements, the dramatic colour contrast. Floating around remain text & projectiles (triangles).
What do the symbols mean ? From research El Lissitzky was also a Suprematist and that meant, the movement of simple shapes that are geometric such as : Circle, Square, Line, Rectangles etc .. It is an abstract art developed by another Russian artist : Kazimir Malevich "supremacy of pure feeling or perception in the pictorial arts."
References :
http://www.designishistory.com/images/lissitzky/BeatTheWhites.jpg - Beat the whites with the red wedge
http://www.theartstory.org/movement-suprematism.htm - Quoting
http://www.designishistory.com/images/lissitzky/BeatTheWhites.jpg - Beat the whites with the red wedge
http://www.theartstory.org/movement-suprematism.htm - Quoting