Propaganda today may come in a much more subtle and insidious form, but once not too long ago, nationalistic messages were sent out to the public loud and clear. The eye-catching graphic design of early 20th-century Soviet propaganda is an especially memorable example, and currently in the spotlight at The Wolfsonian – Florida International University, where two overlapping shows are in progress.
‘Red and Black: Revolution in Soviet Propaganda Graphics’ (5 April – 5 August) is an installation of 20 rare books, periodicals and book and portfolio plates, while ‘Construction Revolution: Soviet Propaganda Posters Between the World Wars’ (13 April – 12 August), organised by Maine’s Bowdoin College Museum of Art, shows how graphic designers interpreted the revolution’s utopian ideals for the communist dictatorship.
Together, both shows highlight the ties between culture and revolutionary ideology in the years right after the 1917 Russian Revolution – all the while showcasing the evolution and creation of a distinct graphic style.
Gather the Harvest, 1931, by Dmitrii Moor. The Wolfsonian – Florida International University, Miami Beach, Florida, The Mitchell Wolfson, Jr Collection
With over 50 Soviet-era posters from the private collection of Svetlana and Eric Silverman, and rarely seen works possessed by The Wolfsonian, the ‘Construction Revolution’ exhibition includes examples by several influential members of the Soviet avant-garde, such as Vladimir Mayakovsky, Gustav Klutsis and Aleksandr Rodchenko.
The unique visual language of the posters not only encapsulates this volatile period in Russian history, but also shows how the communist ethos was translated into an accessible, fervent iteration of public art. Guided strictly by the state, yet still displaying a degree of artistic experimentation, the historic significance of these posters is especially poignant when viewed against the backdrop of politics today.
‘These works speak to the paradox of the Soviet Union during its early decades, when utopianism went hand-in-hand with manipulation,’ says Jon Mogul, Wolfsonian associate director of curatorial and education. ‘There is an undeniable sense of excitement, optimism, and experimentation in these images, though they also convey the sanitised and one-sided version of reality that contributed to the consolidation of a brutally repressive dictatorship.’
Dlia golosa (For Reading Out Loud), 1923, Vladimir Mayakovsky (author), and Gosudarstvennoe Izdatel’stvo (publisher). The Wolfsonian – Florida International University, Miami Beach, Florida, The Mitchell Wolfson, Jr Collection
Working Men and Women – Everyone to the Election of Soviets, 1930, by Gustav Klutsis. Collection of Svetlana and Eric Silverman
Let Us Build a Dirigible Fleet in Lenin’s Name, 1931, by Georgii Kibardin. Collection of Svetlana and Eric Silverman
International Working Women’s Day, 1930, by Valentina Kulagina. Collection of Svetlana and Eric Silverman
Down with Kitchen Slavery, 1929, by Grigorii Shegal. Collection of Svetlana and Eric Silverman
For the Proletarian Park of Culture and Leisure, 1932, by Vera Gitsevich. Collection of Svetlana and Eric Silverman
Death to World Imperialism, 1919, by Dmitrii Moor. Collection of Svetlana and Eric Silverman
Women Workers, Take up Your Rifles, 1917, artist unknown. Collection of Svetlana and Eric Silverman
INFORMATION
‘Red and Black: Revolution in Soviet Propaganda Graphics’ is on view until 5 August. ‘Construction Revolution: Soviet Propaganda Posters Between the World Wars’ is on view until 12 August. For more information, visit The Wolfsonian website
ADDRESS
The Wolfsonian
Florida International University
1001 Washington Avenue
Miami Beach
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