Aspect of Socialist Realism... artists, cults and architecture

• Experimentsl---abstratct-----meant paintings were like photographs
• More traditional
• Social & political messages
• Many glorify Lenin & Stalin
• Under Five-Year Pkan- targets set 
• 1930: 200 artists sent to work on collective farms to record 'heroic' work
• 1936: Stalin tightened grip on artists
• Purged who didn't fit Stalin's ideals

(They are Writing about us in Pravda" (Aleksei Alexandrovich Vasilev, 1951)

Happy peasants eating & enjoying themselves. Collectivisation is the way forward. 

Speech by Lenin at a Rally of Workers (1929)

Aleksandr Gerasimov: Stalin and Voroshilov at the Kremlin (1938)

won Stalin Prize 1941

Success of the people & what they have built. Recently built Kremlin. Showing emotions between Stalin and the people

• Paintings to extend control as had his ideals
• Pro-Stalin artists-----Glirified him
• Propaganda---exaggerated images---Depicted economic policies
• Promotes Stalin

• Propaganda---shows Stalin's work as good
• Inspirational. What could be achieved

New Moscow Ball-Bearing Factory 

(Soviet sculptures made 10m diameter ball-bearing statue)

Dnipier Power Station 

(Sculpture created model  fo dnieper dam over 70m wide)

Commissioned Union of Soviet Architects

(Huge interviews to find best architects for sculptures)

Prague Monument---knocked down, but showed Russia's accomplishments

[sorry but coudn't find any images]

• After Stalin, revolted against him by knocking scultpures down. 
• Showed Russia's strength
• Created new jobs & demonstrated Russia's wealth

• Tolitarians 'new heroes' so redesigned Russia---demonstrate Soviet Union's power 1935
• Attemptto create 'a truly socialist city'
• Followed example of five-year plan

(Moscow Metro Satation 1931-1935)

Built by volebnteers; marble, chandelieres.......

Demonstrated Russia's wealth and pleasure to travel

(Seven Sisters 1946)

Skyscrapers---the 'next generation' of skyscrapers

Must be better than other cities. If compared, should be better

(the all-union exhibition of agriculture 1st August 1939)

Northern part of Moscow

Featured identity--based pavilions for ethnic republicans-- a stage guests performed their group identities on

• Buildings lasted
• Inspired people to sacrifice themselves through hard labour
• Provided ceremonial locations, broad squares, avenues and lavish decorations
• Beautiful and elaborate capital

• Lenin's pupil-----links to Cult of lenin
• Mid 1930's due to soviet artists- jourbnalists

(Long Live the Stalinist Order of Heroes and Stakhanovites! 1936 ) Living Stalin infront of bust of dead Lenin Implies Stalin is the ghost of Lenin   (Stalin's 70th Birthday 1950) Opportunity to identify with him and the regime 70th birthday lasted 3 days and projected his face 3 hour applauses during Stalin's speeches 1 elderly man too tired to stand, taken out and executed for being 'direspectful'

• Stalin not fear alone
• Cults help humanise impersonal soviet bureaucracy
• Glamourise soviet regime
• Emotional contact between Stalin & the people