The artwork “Fly. Avia-poems” is a poster created by Alexander Rodchenko in 1923 in Moscow, Russian Federation. This work is representative of daring graphic design from the early 20th century, reflecting the constructivist movement.
In this poster, there’s a bold composition that features primarily geometric shapes and sharp contrasts. The central motif is a stylized aircraft, depicted from a top-down view, with its wings and propellers distinctly outlined. Surrounding the aircraft, the words “ПЕТ” and “АВИО-СТИХИ” are prominently displayed, using the Cyrillic script, which translates to “FLY” and “AVIA-POEMS.” This lettering is integrated into the design in a dynamic fashion, characteristic of the constructivist aesthetic, which often merged text and image in innovative ways.
The color palette is limited to black, red, and the natural brown of the paper, which lends the poster a striking appearance. These colors were commonly used during this time for their visual impact and because they held strong political connotations, reflecting the revolutionary fervor of the Soviet Union in the 1920s.
The typography also carries a significant weight in the overall design, where the characters are arranged to give a sense of movement and directionality. The bottom of the poster contains additional Cyrillic letters and numbers, “К 19 23 б,” followed by “РАСЧАЯ НОВЬ,” a likely reference to the content or context of the Avia-poems series, potentially signifying a date or edition. However, without additional context, the precise meaning may be speculative.
Overall, the poster exemplifies Rodchenko’s innovative approach combining industrial themes with bold, abstract forms, contributing to the radical new visual language of his time.
