Gan's Constructivism: Aesthetic Theory for an Embedded Modernism

"Kristin Romberg delivers an earth-shattering reevaluation of the Russian constructivist discipline of tectonics in her new biography of the art movement's leading agit-man, Aleksei Gan. . . she has written such a tectonically textured testament to Gan--a book that attempts to synthetically respond to the demands of other fields external to history or Slavic studies--as might have made its protagonist proud."-- "H-Net"
"Devotedly and dauntingly researched (ten archives combed, no page unturned, every typeface identified by font and size), convincingly argued and eloquently written."--Yuri Tsivian, "Russian Review"
"Romberg's book illuminates the past but is oriented toward the future. It exemplifies a participatory, rather than receptive, mode for critical writing. Most importantly, it recalibrates the reader's assumptions about the history of Constructivism, who makes it, and how it can be written."-- "ARTMargins"
"What is particularly noteworthy in Romberg's account . . . is an awareness that no discussion of the Constructivist object is complete without considering, first, the changed material and social conditions for its production, including a new conceptualization of artistic labor; and, second, without allowing for its status as art, even where that term must no longer be understood, bourgeoisie-style, in terms of representation or institution."-- "Art Journal"