Final answer:
Constructivism was a movement that utilized modern materials like plastic and electroplated metal to create art with social utility, deeply influenced by industrial materials and the urban landscape. Major movements like Bauhaus and De Stijl were significantly affected by its philosophy of integrating art with industry and social function.
Step-by-step explanation:
Constructivism was an artistic and architectural movement that began in Russia around 1919. It promoted the use of modern materials like plastic and electroplated metal to create utilitarian art that served social purposes rather than just being autonomously aesthetic. This movement marked a dramatic shift in the philosophy of art, symbolizing a departure from traditional artistic concerns and an embrace of modernity, technology, and industrial materials. Influencing major art movements like the Bauhaus and De Stijl, Constructivism represented a fusion of artistic creation with the industrial processes and materials that characterized the rapidly evolving urban landscape of the 20th century. As a movement, Constructivism had deep roots in the social and material conditions of its time. The Industrial Revolution had popularized new materials like steel and plate glass, enabling architects and artists to explore new forms and structures. Architectural manifestos declared 'decoration is a crime', emphasizing functionality and purpose over ornate aestheticism, reflecting Constructivist ideals of utilitarianism and the blend of tektonika—the spatial presence of an object—with its faktura, or material properties. The iconic example of Constructivist art is Vladimir Tatlin's Monument to the Third International, blending a machine aesthetic with dynamic components. This movement was not just about creating art for art's sake but for serving social functions such as public festivals, and designs for the post-revolutionary Bolshevik government. In this way, constructivism left an indelible mark on modern art by recalibrating the purpose and practice of art to align with the values and needs of an industrialized society.