Victor Margolin\'s Struggle for Utopia

Victor Margolin's Struggle for Utopia is a study of three artists whose output during the years of high Modernism was centered on effecting social change. The aesthetic and political aspirations of Rodchenko, Lissitzky, and Moholy-Nagy are examined in detail in what is essentially a comparative approach to the left-wing ambitions of all three artists, who felt that they could change the world they lived in through the creation of works of art.

Margolin argues that in the beginning, Rodchenko's political views were a tad more conservative than those of Lissitzky. Rodchenko's public information kiosk designs are analyzed alongside Lissitzky's revolutionary designs for books as well as his paintings from this period. By implication, we gather from Margolin's reading of these early pieces that Lissitzky was attempting to break new ground in both his artwork and his politics by forging revolutionary new forms, while Rodchenko was taking a more paradigmatic, restrained approach by subtly molding the society around him.

Margolin goes on to outline Lissitzky's move from the Soviet Union to Berlin, where he became aligned with the German constructivists. Margolin focuses his analysis on Lissitzky's work from this period alongside that of his counterpart Laszl Moholy-Nagy. He also explores the theoretical differences between each artist's beliefs in the social implications of their works. While such an approach as Margolin's is certainly useful in shedding new light on the work of Rodchenko, Lissitzky, and Moholy-Nagy, the real political content in their work is rather elusive to a contemporary eye, as it must have been at the time. As this aspect of their work is really contingent on the artists' own discursive explanations, it remains situated outside of the work; that is, it is possible to view the work of these artists from a purely aesthetic viewpoint, as well.

While the perspectives of each of the artists on the revolutionary nature of art is interesting, it does little to convince us that art can play a central role in effecting social change. As idealists, both Lissitzky and Rodchenko fell under the sway of Stalin and would serve as propagandists for this ruthless leader in a period that was rather unfortunate in the careers of both artists. While Margolin does his best to read their works from this period in a fair light, what we know today about Stalin does overshadow such readings of this work. In this respect, one's knowledge of politics can indeed interfere with one's interpretation of a work of art - and have detrimental effects.