Soviet Art

Soviet artist Valery Pimenov. Before the attack. 1965. The Central Museum of VI Lenin. Leningrad branch

Soviet artist Valery Pimenov (February 15, 1920 – February 28, 2008) – author of historical and revolutionary paintings, portraits, landscapes. In 1971, Pimenov was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR, and in 1994 the title of People’s Artist of Russia. He was a member of the St. Petersburg Union of Artists (before 1992 – the Leningrad branch of the Union of Artists of the RSFSR). In 1936 he entered the factory of M. Gelts in Leningrad, where he soon became a master-engraver of the highest qualification. Working at the plant, Pimenov studied in art studio of the Palace of Culture of Kirov, which led Brodsky and Kopeykin. Pimenov began to show his work at art exhibitions, and two of them – “Meeting tankers” and “Deeds of Heroes” – exhibited at the All-Union “Defense of the USSR” exhibition (1940).
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Soviet Youth Day, USSR postage stamp of 1958 (green)

Favorite holiday of all young people in the USSR, it is still celebrated in every city and town of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. The history of the “Soviet Youth Day” dates back February 7, 1958, after the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union “On Establishing Soviet Youth Day”. That decree ordered to celebrate Youth Day every year on the last Sunday of June. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union put the main task for the festive events on the All-Union Leninist Young Communist League. At that time, as all the administrative units of the Soviet Union of Soviet Socialist Republics celebrated this holiday together, but after perestroika and the collapse of the Soviet Union, the situation has changed. Since independence, some former Soviet republics transferred this feast to the next day, some have changed its name, and some have abolished it. However, there are those who sought to preserve the best traditions inherent in the rule of the Communist Party. Due to this, at the moment, on the last Sunday of June the Day of Youth is celebrated in Belarus and Ukraine.
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Soviet sculptor Aleksandr Matveyev (1878–1960). Sculptural composition October. 1927

At the beginning of 1928, Hall of the Central Museum of the Revolution of the USSR officially opened their doors for visitors. There was a jubilee exhibition dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution. It was first shown sculptural composition “October” by Soviet sculptor Aleksandr Matveyev (1878–1960), which stood out among the works of their program exposure, with the sharpness of social sound. Brightly and vividly embodied the heroism of the revolution, the work was seen as a symbol of the new era of accomplished changes. The idea of ​​the artist – to show the age-old human dream, the inviolability of the achievements of socialism – grew up in the capacious collective image of the people and their stories. With discreet and at the same time sublime language Matveyev conveyed the main idea of ​​the time – the assertion of the ideal of freedom.
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A traditional greeting card. Red Carnation revolutionary flower

Red Carnation revolutionary flower.
History has turned carnation into a revolutionary flower of proletariat. After the events of February 1917, the decision of Moscow printers of Russian Social Democratic Workers’ Party of bolsheviks was to issue cardboard badges in the form of red carnation. In addition, there was inscription: “Soviet of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies.” They have become a kind of leaflets calling for a fight against the Provisional Government. Meanwhile, the badges spread quickly, and the money went on the needs of the revolution. In particular, soldiers storming the Winter Palace in the days of the October fighting, pinned to clothing red ribbon, folded in the shape of carnations. And on the eve of May Day 1918, in memory of the fallen heroes appeared a set of red carnation badges. These badges have long been a rarity.
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Soviet propaganda textile art. M. Khvostenko. Walking pioneers. End of 1920 – 1930s

Soviet propaganda textile art – Art born of revolution. Great October Socialist Revolution has stimulated the development of all types of art and had a strong impact on the textile decoration. Total inspiration of artists with future perspective expressed in an effort to convey ideas and time lines to each worker. Hundreds of thousands of meters of fabrics were decorated with images of massive five-pointed stars, airplanes, locomotives, power masts, electric bulbs. Subjects not met before in the textile illustration and keen compositional solution dramatically isolated new pattern among traditional decorative products. It was noticeable, attracted attention, gave food for thought and even disputes. It was, as they say, socially active. Drawings of this trend came to be called propaganda textiles, or “agit-textile”. Today it has taken rightful place in the history of Soviet art.
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Red Square celebration. Oil. 1975-1977. Soviet artist Boris Domashnikov (1924 – 2003)

Soviet artist Boris Domashnikov (1924 – 2003) – People’s Artist of the USSR, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Arts (1997), an honorary citizen of the city of Ufa (1994). Boris Fyodorovich Domashnikov was born April 5, 1924 in the village of Krigouzovo of the Ivanovo region in a peasant family. The family had five children. In 1935 the family moved to Ufa. In Ufa, the family lived on the outskirts of the city. During the war, the military enlistment office refused to take him to the front because of poor health and Domashnikov worked in an art studio – drew slogans, posters, soldiers’ funeral tablets.
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Conquerors of Space. 1961. Pencil, tempera. Soviet artist Alexander Deineka (May 8, 1899 – June 12, 1969)

Soviet artist Alexander Deineka was born on May 8, 1899 in Kursk, in the family of a railroad worker. Even as a child, the boy displayed an interest in art and technology. He studied at the Kursk railway school and simultaneously at a small art studio. In 1915-1917 he received his art education at the Kharkov Art College. October events determined the fate of the painter – he is to become a singer of the revolution and a new life. While studying at the Higher Artistic and Technical Workshops (Vkhutemas), Deineka meets one of the most ambitious and iconic figures in the history of Soviet art – poet Mayakovsky. These meetings will have a huge impact on the artist. Figuratively, Deineka became Mayakovsky in painting. Both – the poet and the artist chose similar themes for their works, and their inspiration is the same – a sincere belief in the revolution and the Soviet power. And the love of the proletariat, the admiration of physical strength and physical health of a person. They both devoted much work to satire, advertising and propaganda posters, considering it their duty for society. Besides, one of the best paintings of Deineka received the same name as the famous poem of Mayakovsky – “Left March” (1941).
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