The artwork titled “Illustration to ‘For the voice’ by Vladimir Mayakovsky,” created by artist El Lissitzky in 1920 in Moscow, Russian Federation, is a fine example of Constructivist illustration. It is part of the art series “For the voice.”
The artwork effectively exemplifies the Constructivist movement with its use of geometric shapes and bold typography. It employs a limited color palette, primarily utilizing black and red. The left page of the spread features a grid of question marks, with a large, stylized ‘A’ prominently centered, underlined by “В-Ы!” (Russian transliteration of “YOU!”). The right page presents text in various fonts and sizes, emphasizing specific words, including the phrase “а ВЫ МОГЛИ БЫ?” which translates to “could you?” This visually striking composition is indicative of Lissitzky’s innovative approach to merging text and imagery, characteristic of the Constructivist movement.
