The artists of the Organic School of the Russian avant-garde found inspiration as well as a model for artistic growth in the creative principles of nature. Isabel W?nsche analyzes the artistic influences, intellectual foundations, and scientific publications that shaped the formation of these artists, the majority of whom were based in St. Petersburg. Particular emphasis is given to the holistic worldviews and organic approaches prevalent among artists of the pre-revolutionary avant-garde, specifically Jan Ciaglinski, Nikolai Kulbin, and Elena Guro, as well as the emergence of the concept of Organic Culture as developed by Mikhail Matiushin, practiced at the State Institute of Artistic Culture, and taught at the reformed Art Academy in the 1920s. Discussions of faktura and creative intuition explore the biocentric approaches that dominated the work of Pavel Filonov, Kazimir Malevich, Voldemar Matvejs, Olga Rozanova, and Vladimir Tatlin. The artistic approaches of the Organic School of the Russian avant-garde were further promoted and developed by Vladimir Sterligov and his followers between 1960 and 1990. The study examines the cultural potential as well as the utopian dimension of the artists? approaches to creativity and their ambitious visions for the role of art in promoting human psychophysiological development and shaping post-revolutionary culture.

The artists of the Organic School of the Russian avant-garde found inspiration as well as a model for artistic growth in the creative principles of nature. Isabel Wünsche analyzes the artistic influences, intellectual foundations, and scientific publications that shaped the formation of these artists. Particular emphasis is given to the holistic worldviews and organic approaches prevalent among artists of the pre-revolutionary avant-garde and the emergence of the concept of Organic Culture.

This splendid book paints a rich portrait of the Russian avant-garde and the intrigues which it saved for posterity. Roberts has written a fascinating history of the famous Costakis collection and its creator George Costakis who, for nearly thirty years, was an administrative clerk in the Canadian embassy in Moscow. Until his forced departure from Russia in 1978 he collected, continually and painstakingly, the abstract, constructivist and supremacist art of 1912 to 1930 which fell into official disrepute under Stalin. The author, a former Canadian ambassador to Moscow, is a first-hand authority on Costakis and his magnificent obsession.

The idea that women are dangerous – individually or collectively – runs throughout history and across cultures. Behind this label lies a significant set of questions about the dynamics, conflicts, identities and power relations with which women live today. The Art of Being Dangerous offers many different images of women, some humorous, some challenging, some well-known, some forgotten, but all unique. In a dazzling variety of creative forms, artists and writers of diverse identities explore what it means to be a dangerous woman. With almost 100 evocative images, this collection showcases an array of contemporary art that highlights the staggering breadth of talent among today’s female artists. It offers an unparalleled gallery of feminist creativity, ranging from emerging visual artists from the UK to multi-award-winning writers and translators from the Global South. Contributors: Margie Orford, Meredith Bergmann, K.E. Carver, Sasha de Buyl-Pisco, Mary Paulson-Ellis, Melissa Álvaro Mutolo, Kerri Turner, Heshani Sothiraj Eddleston, Joanie Conwell, Dilys Rose, Alison Jones, Sim Bajwa, Hilaire, Tara Pixley, Leonie Mhari, Kate Feld, Millie Earle-Wright, Helen Boden, Elif Sezen, Rebecca Vedavathy, Irene Hossack, SE Craythorne, Roisin Kelly, Nkateko Masinga, Elaine Gallagher, Ildiko Nova, Rachel Roberts, susan c. dessel, Savanna Scott Leslie, Heather Pearson, Eva Moreda Rodriguez, Tanya Krzywinska, Siris Gallinat, Clare Archibald, Maya Mackrandilal, Zuhal Feraidon, Anna Brazier, Shirley Day, Treasa Nealon, Satdeep Grewal, Lucy Walters, Priyanthini Guns, Kate Schneider, Alana Tyson, Jayde Kirchert, Boris Eldagsen, Brenda Rosete, Victoria Duckett, Patricia Allmer, JL Williams, Carly Brown, Sotiria Grek, Sepideh Jodeyri, Brooke Bolander, Maria Stoian, Maria Fusco, Claire Askew and Marianne Boruch.