Gan's Constructivism

Kristin Romberg delivers an earth-shattering reevaluation of the Russian constructivist discipline of tectonics in her new biography of the art movement's leading agit-man, Aleksei Gan. . . she has written such a tectonically textured testament to Gan-a book that attempts to synthetically respond to the demands of other fields external to history or Slavic studies-as might have made its protagonist proud. * H-Net * Devotedly and dauntingly researched (ten archives combed, no page unturned, every typeface identified by font and size), convincingly argued and eloquently written. -- Yuri Tsivian, * Russian Review * Romberg's book illuminates the past but is oriented toward the future. It exemplifies a participatory, rather than receptive, mode for critical writing. Most importantly, it recalibrates the reader's assumptions about the history of Constructivism, who makes it, and how it can be written. * ARTMargins * What is particularly noteworthy in Romberg's account . . . is an awareness that no discussion of the Constructivist object is complete without considering, first, the changed material and social conditions for its production, including a new conceptualization of artistic labor; and, second, without allowing for its status as art, even where that term must no longer be understood, bourgeoisie-style, in terms of representation or institution. * Art Journal *