[Маруся]

In 1951 there was an unheard of - Alexander Rodchenko, despite its merits, was dismissed from sotava Union of Artists.

In his letter to Varvara Stepanova MOSSH wrote: "The report of the Bureau MOSSH his non-confirmation member of the Union led to a dramatic aggravation of [hypertension] disease - once the pressure was 230/110, nervous attacks began, and again he was half-reclining patients. ...
This year, Alexander Rodchenko, 60 years old, it actually already is a painter of the older generation, and surely this is reasonable and fair to ignore the age and poor health condition and erase 38 years of his creative work .... "
(Behind them MOSH expelled and Varvara Stepanova. During her recovery is already busy daughter, Barbara A..

These diaries I read not long ago, and it all started with "memories" George Costakis: "I was acquainted with Rodchenko, who in those years was not considered an artist, thought he was a mere photographer ... picked up a camera, got carried away photography began to make portraits of Mayakovsky, combine pictures, brought something new to this art. But as an artist has ceased to exist .... I think it affected him to the authorities, it was time, de Mol stop practicing all sorts of nonsense and write different cubes and squares, we must move on to something utilitarian and benefit the country, the people .... Only later, in 40-ies he again took up his brush and there are ... "
I will not continue to cite this retelling of memories Costaki. Because me personally it's hard to believe - Rodchenko, the King Leander Fire (later, home-based, anti) always something opposed. When Malevich exhibited white pieces, Rodchenko - its the black flag of the series. When he started to work in the museum's offices - opposed an old friend of Kandinsky, and has nevertheless dismissed from the office of Nina Kandinsky and Wassily Bobrov, and yes even some relative Lerner. When power is condemned formalism - Rodchenko took up collage and photography, but how - until now his photographs published in textbooks.

In the 40's, Rodchenko abruptly breaks away from the geometric abstraction, which he was a master in the 20-ies and became the ancestor of abstract expressionist. Generally, it is striking that at this time he returned to abstraction (and created many works, most of them were now in the Museum of Modern Art in elephant). But then he opposes Rodchenko himself - that different abstraction creates a completely different artist - and social status, and self-awareness.
From the diaries:
 "We do not know what worked. And so it is now thought that all be destroyed, thrown away, and not a single thing and there will be nowhere ... But I had the fame and was the European name, I was known in France, Germany and America. And now nothing. I was buried alive and forgotten forever. "

Rodchenko himself defined the form-building principles of his "other abstraction" in his diary, describing the main series of abstract works "streamlined ornament. A number of studies, it represents a word, unthinkable for Rodchenko 20-s, - decorative composition.

Record 40-ies:
"I'm writing like a beast, and the mood somber. Why? Why? I am writing, only joy from work, but when I write, I always think, and why? Surely the day will come when it will be possible to exhibit? And maybe never ...

"Paintings come to? - But the horror! Left painting ... And, my God, what a joy to be leftist! "... To be myself after all the torment and illogically. Do not break yourself, writing with delight! Whatever! And I die left and leave the good things. Just write a few things and what a happy. It is at this time, they'll say, "crazy!" And further: "I could no longer attack itself on the throat. Let the roads are bad, but it gives the full thing. And later: "I'm writing an abstraction, it is pointless, and maybe silly, but enjoyable and interesting. Perhaps it would live months, so go left.

I think that when Camilla Gray in the 60 years wrote that Bacon can not be called the ancestor of expressionist abstraction, but it all came up with Russian, it is primarily meant Rodchenko.

For those interested in the details, I can recommend the published diaries of Rodchenko and Stepanova:
Stepanova VF Man can not live without a miracle M., 1994.
AM Rodchenko Experiments for the future. M., 1996.

In applications - works from the collection of Rodchenoko G. Kostaki