Gorky Central Park of Culture

In his early years, El Lissitzky developed a style of painting where he used abstract geometric shapes that he referred to as "prouns" to define the spatial relationships of his compositions. The shapes were developed in a three-dimensional space with often varying perspectives. This technique directly contrasted the ideas of Suprematist theories that stressed the simplification of shapes and the use of two-dimensional space only. Lissitzky moved around in the 1920s, spending time in Germany as a cultural representative of Russia then in Switzerland in a Swiss sanatorium after he was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis. Regardless, this never stopped him from working as he continued to produce propaganda posters, books, buildings and exhibitions for the Soviet Union. In 1932, Stalin demanded that artists conform to much stricter guidelines or be blacklisted. Lissitzky managed to retain his position as head of exhibitions. In 1941, his tuberculosis progressed and caused his death.