Founders
Vladimir Tatlin was pivotal to the Russian Constructivism movement. He was inspired by Pablo Picasso's Cubist reliefs, and from Russian Futurism. Schooled as an icon painter, he abandoned the traditional painting, and focused on the materials he used - often metal, glass and wood. He desired to have art adhere to modern purposes.
El Lissitzky made a career of utilizing art for social and political change. Often highly abstract and theoretical, Lissitzky's work was able to speak to the prevailing political discourse of his native Russia, and then the nascent Soviet Union. Lissitzky's influence in the world of graphic design cannot be overstated. He utilized a pared-down palette of primary colors, black and white, text, and basic forms - shapes both real as well as invented geometric constructions.
Vladimir Tatlin
El Lissitzky