That these three movements developed in a period of technical expansion during the political, social and economic crisis that followed the First World War and the Russian and German Revolutions is no coincidence. Meyer Schapiro says 'the older categories of art were translated into the language of modern technology' (Texts A, p.41) as artists across Europe believed in their ability to play an active role in improving society. To this end they employed diverse means …showed first 75 words of 2158 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2158 total…re chaos, randomness, satire, a parody of modern industry. Constructivism and Dada also rejected aestheticism, and produced agitational work. Purists and Constructivists wanted freedom from subjective individuality; while for some Dadaists the devaluation of the individual was objectionable. It is now difficult to understand but all were motivated by their expectations of provoking change and so 'tied their useless archaic activity to the most advanced and imposing forms of modern production.'(Texts A, p.41)