Constructivism is an artistic and architectural movement that emerged in the wake of the 1917 Russian Revolution.  Above all, the Constructivists wanted to create works of art that had social purpose and reflected the modern world. This new style eventually made its way to the Bauhaus school in Germany. Ella Bergmann-Michel, an early Bauhaus member, is best known for her politically oriented documentary films, but she also created delicately playful collages. During World War II (1939–45) the artist was forced to stop making work because nonrepresentational art had been forbidden by the Nazi regime. Following Bergmann-Michel’s death, her daughter found several collages in the walls of her studio—presumably secreted away during this time.

Label from Picasso: The Artist and His Models, November 5, 2016–February 19, 2017