Soviet Art

Che. Soviet poster artist Igor Aksenov

Few people know that the Lenin Komsomol Prize award in the arts, among hundreds of professional artists, its winners, was once given to a non-professional artist from Siberia. This artist was Igor Aksenov – representative of the Novosibirsk State University. Alongside with the Lenin Komsomol Prize, he was awarded the highest award of the Soviet Peace Committee – an honorary medal “Fighter for Peace”, as well as a silver medal of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition of the USSR (1985, 1986) and the Medal of Honor of the World Peace Council (1984). Soviet poster artist Igor Aksenov was a member of the Soviet Committee for Solidarity with Latin America. His posters are really very popular. They have become collectors’ items among the wide range of fans around the world. The number of exhibitions of his work has been enormous. To name the exact number and venue is not possible, especially abroad, as along with a few officials, there was a set of spontaneous, organized by fans of his work. They are devoted to topical political issues – the issue of disarmament, the fight against the aggressive aspirations of the imperialist forces and solidarity with the peoples fighting for their national and social liberation.
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Samantha Smith visiting Soviet Union. Soviet woman-cosmonaut, Hero of the USSR Valentina Tereshkova and Samantha Smith, 1983

Samantha Smith visiting Soviet Union
“Dear Mr. Andropov,
My name is Samantha Smith… I would like to know why you want to conquer the world or at least our country”…
Samantha’s letter was sent to the Soviet Union in November 1982, and in early 1983 – the newspaper “Pravda” published it. Samantha was happy when she found out about it. April 25, 1983 – Soviet leader Yuri Andropov invited American girl Samantha Smith and her parents to the Soviet Union. Samantha Reed Smith (1972-1985) – beautiful and brave American schoolgirl from Maine, has become world famous thanks to the letter, which she wrote to the General Secretary of the CPSU in the midst cold war. For two weeks, the Smiths spent in the Soviet Union, Goodwill Ambassador Samantha visited Moscow, Leningrad and chief pioneer camp “Artek” in Crimea. In the camp “Artek” she lived like all Soviet children, wore a traditional pioneer form. She liked it very much, and took it to the US. Although seriously ill Andropov never met Samantha, they talked on the phone.
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The Family of Vasily Shukshin. 1976. Painting by Soviet artist Elena Romanova (1944-2014)

Soviet artist Elena Romanova was born in 1944 in Moscow, the USSR. She graduated from the Moscow State Art Institute named after Surikov. In 1975 she became a laureate of the Moscow Komsomol for creating portraits of contemporaries, and later was awarded a diploma of I degree of the USSR Academy of Arts for her work “Portrait of a family of Vasily Makarovich Shukshin.” Pictures of Elena Romanova are kept in the Tretyakov Gallery, in the collections of different cities and countries. She worked on a series of graphic works dedicated to the workers of Tajikistan and Baikal-Amur Mainline.
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“Cranes”. The central part of the triptych Autumn. 1979. Soviet artist Vladimir Davydovich Ivanov (06.11.1936 – 12.28.1982)

Soviet artist Vladimir Davydovich Ivanov (06.11.1936 – 12.28.1982) was a theater artist, an honored Artist of the Yakut Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, Member of the Union of Artists of the USSR since 1970. Vladimir Ivanov was born in 1936 in Upper Orosun nasleg of Vilyui of Yakut ASSR. In 1958 he graduated from the Yakut art school, in 1964 – theatrical decorative department of the Leningrad State Institute of Theatre, Music and Cinematography. From 1964 – 1967, he worked as the main artist of the Yakut State Music and Drama Theatre. He has created several stage designs for plays and performances. In addition to design theatrical performances, Vladimir Ivanov is the author of works: easel painting in the technique of auto-lithograph – “Portrait of Anna” (1970), “Winter” (1970), “Self Portrait” (1972), a series of “Fighting Years” (1973-1974) triptych “Spring” (1974), a triptych “Summer” (1976), “When it’s minus 50” (1975), “Yakut Still Life” (1978); illustrated book “Anthology of the Yakut poetry” (1967), “Favorites, in two volumes,” by S. Danilov (1977), a poster “50 years of YASSR” (1972).
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USSR Postage stamps by Vasily Zavyalov. 1938 March. 20th anniversary of the Red Army and Navy of the USSR

USSR Postage stamps by Vasily Zavyalov

Soviet Russian painter, graphic artist Vasily Zavyalov (14 August 1906 – July 31, 1972) was one of the first creators of postage stamps of the USSR, Honored Artist of the RSFSR. He is the author of more than 600 postage stamps. “Lenin Mausoleum” – the first USSR Postage stamps by Vasily Zavyalov (1925). Vasily Zavyalov studied at the Art School at the Sytin printing-house, school engravers at “Goznak” factory, where he worked for many years. His first stamps with the image of the wooden mausoleum of Lenin were published in 1925 as part of the release, “The first anniversary of the death of Lenin.”
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Great October Revolution in painting. Konstantin Yuon (1875-1958). The new planet. Tempera. 1921. The State Tretyakov Gallery

Great October Revolution in painting

Soviet Revolution inspired artists to create outstanding works of painting and sculpture. They help us to understand better and feel stronger national character and greatness of the October Revolution. The dream of people of socialism, for which the October Revolution was accomplished, the artist Konstantin Yuon expressed in the painting “The new planet.” We see on the alarming dark sky cut with the bright rays of light, sunrise of a huge red planet symbolizing socialism. The inhabitants of the earth aspire to it, holding out their hands as if praying for happiness. Their way is not easy. Some died, others are in confusion, fear – this new world is not for them. But the majority of people welcome the birth of a new planet. This planet is red because the new society is born in a brutal fight, because the red – a symbol of the revolution.
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Soviet monumental propaganda. Youzas Mikenas (1901-1964). The first swallows. 1964. Gypsum

Soviet monumental propaganda played an important role in the ideological and aesthetic education of the people. For the sculpture “First Swallows” Soviet Lithuanian sculptor Youzas Mikenas (1901 – 1964) was People’s Artist of the USSR (1961), winner of the Stalin Prize of the second degree (1947), Order of Lenin (1954), member of the Communist party of the Soviet Union since 1952. “First Swallows” became the last sculpture of the artist, for which he was awarded the State Prize of the Lithuanian SSR in 1966, posthumously. The sculpture was exhibited at the Expo 67 World’s Fair in Montreal (Canada). Enhanced version of the sculpture is cast in bronze and in 1987 set near the National Gallery in Vilnius.
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