Blok of Cubists, Suprematists, and Constructivists Blok ( was a Polish avant-garde artist collective active in the years 1924âÂÂ1926 and founded by Wà Âadysà Âaw Strzemià Âski, Katarzyna Kobro, Henryk Berlewi, Henryk Staà ¼ewski and Mieczysà Âaw Szczuka, amongst others. Blok was a precursor to Praesens (1926âÂÂ1930) and a.r. group (1929âÂÂ1936), and all three collectives played a critical role in the development of Polish Constructivism.
The Blok group was established following the New Art Exhibition in Vilnius, which was organized in 1923, and inspired by Russian Constructivism, specifically the activities of artists associated with the Vkhutemas and INKhUK institutes in post-revolutionary Moscow.
Similarly to their Russian counterparts, Polish Constructivist artists deployed art as a tool in aiding the formation of new, modern society through functional architecture, poster design, graphic design, typography, and furniture architecture. Blok<nowiki/>'s members included e.g. Mieczysà Âaw Szczuka, Jan Golus, Katarzyna Kobro-Strzemià Âska, Wà Âadysà Âaw Strzemià Âski, Teresa à »arnowerówna, Henryk Berlewi, Henryk Staà ¼ewski, Maria Nicz-Borowiakowa, Aleksander Rafaà Âowski, Maria Puciatycka, Witold Kajruksztis, Karol Kryà Âski, Teresa Roszkowska and Mieczysà Âaw Szulc.
The artists published the magazine Blok, which included theoretical texts on art and society, reproductions of works by the participating artists, as well as works by foreign artists such as Kazimir Malevich, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, Theo van Doesburg, Kurt Schwitters and Herwarth Walden. The group dissolved in 1926 as a result of ideological disputes regarding the role and nature of art in modern society. Wà Âadysà Âaw Strzemià Âski, Katarzyna Kobro and Henryk Staà ¼ewski left Blok to work with a group of architects under the name Praesens.