[5] The core members of the Constructionist Group were:[6][7] At first, Constructivism "promoted the synthesis of painting, sculpture and architecture in the construction of a better environment for a new society.
In later years, although the work still conformed to formal constructivist characteristic, this idealism was eroded and the primary focus became the internal logic of the art object, rather than any overt social or utilitarian function.
"[8] Constructive art developed much later in Britain than on the European continent, where the International Faction of Constructivists was formed in Düsseldorf in 1922, with no British members.
[8] As the Second World War threatened, many artists left Europe to move to London, including Gabo, Mondrian, Gropius, Schwitters, Moholy-Nagy, Marcel Breuer, Oskar Kokoschka and patron Peggy Guggenheim.
The influence of Pasmore, Kenneth and Mary Martin and Hill – as art teachers and writers – on a younger generation of British abstract artists is reflected in the formation of the later Systems Group.
That is to say that one commences with a single cell, or unit, a logical process of growth is applied and ... the whole, or the effect, is unforeseen until the work is complete".
Others included an abstract painting by Bernard Carter (1920-2014), mobiles by Vivian Proctor and Raymond Elston, and sculptures by Eduardo Paolozzi, and William Turnbull.
[22] This was followed by a more ambitious exhibition from 22 May to 11 June 1951, entitled Abstract Paintings, Sculptures, Mobiles, at the AIA gallery, organised by Heath with the help of Kenneth Martin and Pasmore.
[24] A Second Weekend Exhibition of abstract paintings, constructions, sculptures and mobiles was held in July 1952 at 22 Fitzroy Street, this time including words by Barbara Hepworth, Denis Mitchell, Ben Nicholson and Raymond Elston.
On 18 May, at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, an overlapping exhibition, Experiment in Constructie, was held in which Mary Martin, Anthony Hill and John Ernest participated.
The exhibition also included works by a younger generation of pupils and associates: Derek Carruthers,[32] Matt Rugg[33] Colin Jones, Peter Lowe and Gillian Wise.
Notable is Relief/Construction/Relief which opened in Chicago in October 1968 and in which Victor Pasmore, Gillian Wise, Mary Martin and John Ernest contributed; however it did little to promote the work of the English artists in North America.