Plate (folio 17) from Vzorval' (Explodity)

Plate (folio 17) from Vzorval' (Explodity) by Kazimir Malevich is a significant work of the Russian avant-garde, created in 1913. This piece is classified as an illustrated book, executed primarily through the demanding technique of lithography. The complete publication contained sixteen lithographs, alongside lithographed manuscript text and integrated elements of rubber-stamped text, showcasing the multi-media and assemblage approach favored by contemporary artists seeking to break from traditional publishing conventions.

Malevich, a central figure in the emergent movements of Cubo-Futurism, produced this specific folio during a critical experimental phase just preceding his rigorous development of Suprematism. The work reflects the period's radical dismantling of conventional visual and narrative space, utilizing fragmented forms and dynamic, non-linear arrangements typical of the Russian movement in 1913. Vzorval' was a collaborative effort that captured the explosive energy suggested by its title, merging poetry and visual art into a cohesive, radical object. The inclusion of handwritten and rubber-stamped elements emphasizes the book as an active creation, blurring the lines between illustration and independent artistic composition.

The highly experimental nature of this important Russian illustrated book offers essential insight into the cross-pollination between visual arts and literature in the early twentieth century. This particular folio is held in the prestigious collection of the Museum of Modern Art, underscoring its historical importance to the study of early modern prints and publications. For scholars, reference reproductions of such seminal avant-garde prints are critical research material, with certain editions increasingly made available for study through public domain initiatives depending on institutional policies.