Soviet Art

Nikolai Karachentsov (Nikolai Rezanov) and Elena Shanina (Conchita). Soviet rock opera Juno and Avos, Moscow State Theatre named after Lenin’s Komsomol, 1981

The best films have been filmed in the Soviet Union, and it is a fact. For more than 3 decades of post Soviet Russia, no one has been able to create, for example a comedy, better than Leonid Gaidai. Made in USSR masterpieces of cinema and theater have become an unattainable standard. Among such masterpieces was the Soviet rock opera Juno and Avos by composer Alexei Rybnikov on poems of Andrei Voznesensky. Director – Mark Zakharov, dances staged by Vladimir Vasiliev, artist Oleg Sheyntsis. The premiere took place on July 9, 1981 at the Moscow State Theatre named after Lenin’s Komsomol (Lenkom Theatre). In the summer of 2010 was the two thousandth performance of “Juno and Avos” presented by Theatre “Rock Opera” in St. Petersburg. For more than thirty years the performance has had a resounding success with the audience.
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Early Soviet film posters. Man with a Movie Camera, 1929

Movie Posters have long been separate kind of art. Early Soviet film posters adorned the main theaters of the country and places of public festivals. The popularity of cinema in those years was so high that sometimes people had to stand in long queues to buy cherished tickets! Why the old Soviet movie posters were made as a picture and not as staged photography, photo collage or a film frame? The answer is obvious: because it was much cheaper. Digital Technologies of that time did not allow to publish millions of large size photo posters for all the theaters, cultural centers and other institutions of a giant country. It would be impossible and impractical. In addition, to make a big picture in large size and good resolution would be very problematic.
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Best Soviet actors. Alexei Batalov Best Actor of 1962 for the role of in the 1961 film ‘Nine Days of One Year’

Best Soviet actors 1962-1991 were determined by the annual survey, organized among the readers of the most popular in the USSR magazine ‘Soviet Screen’. “Soviet Screen” – was a well illustrated magazine, issued with a different frequency from 1925 to 1998 (with a break in 1930-1957). Unable to withstand the perestroika and followed default of 1998, the magazine ceased to exist. In the XXI century, an attempt to revive the magazine was made by Boris Pinsky, who worked in the magazine “Soviet Screen” in 1981. He published several of pilot issues, but wasn’t able to launch their regular production.
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Long live the Komsomol!. Poster. 1924. Soviet artist Alexander Samokhvalov (1894-1971), Honored Arts Worker of the RSFSR, a member of the Leningrad Union of Artists of Russian Federation

By the seventh anniversary of the October Revolution, the artist AN Samokhvalov created the poster “Long live the Komsomol!”. Gusty movement of the figures, marching rhythm of the composition creates an emotional image, close to the lines of Komsomol poet- song writer A. Bezymenski:
Go forward. Along the sunny roads,
To the factories, the mines, the court!
To all countries and Oceans we’ll spread the scarlet banner of labor!

This poster symbolized a purposeful movement forward, romantic and daring youth, abruptly and rapidly moving to the goal.
By studying the artistic heritage of the famous Soviet artist Alexander Samokhvalov, one may be surprised at his ability to vividly respond to the most important events of the time, immediate and enthusiastic he had witnessed. It seems quite natural that Lenin theme in the works of master got deeply felt incarnation. It appeared in his work back in the mid 20-ies in the posters, then put into a number of paintings, united in a kind of a series on which the artist has worked long and hard, turning to it again and again. Samokhvalov gave this series code name “Lenin and the people of the revolution”, stipulating at the same time that in his plan would be more appropriate the name of “Lenin and the people”, as the “people of the revolution are actively involved in the revolution, in the case of Leninist principles. ”
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Best Soviet actresses 1962-1991 – Tamara Semina (Best actress in 1962) for her role of Katyusha Maslova in the 1960-1961 film “Resurrection” (on Leo Tolstoy’s novel “Resurrection”)

Readers of the most popular in the USSR magazine “Soviet screen” used to vote for their favorite film actresses from 1962 to 1991. The “Best Actor of the Year” competition was held annually by the magazine “Soviet screen”, the winner was announced at the end of each ear. Results were based on a survey of its readers and summed up in the 10th issue of the magazine (2nd half of May). In parallel, in the survey existed the category “Best Film”, “Best Actor”, “Best Film for Children” and “Best film music”. Here is the list of Best Soviet actresses 1962-1989, according to the “Soviet Screen” magazine readers.
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Soviet Space Exploration Stamps

Soviet Space Exploration Stamps. April 12, 1961 at 9 o’clock 07 minutes in the Soviet Union was launched into Earth orbit spacecraft “Vostok”. On board was the world’s first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. The next day, April 13, mail in the USSR and Czechoslovakia noted the milestone even by the releasing commemorative stamps. Philatelists to the day, know the hour of appearance of the first “Gagarin” post thumbnails. April 14 was released the second Soviet stamp dedicated to the astronaut, three days later – another, this time a portrait. April 25 was issued a commemorative stamp of Hungary, 26th – Bulgaria, the day after – Poland and so on … But so far it is not clear what stamp – Soviet or Czechoslovak – belongs to the leadership? For both issues of stamps appeared about 24 hours after landing of Yuri Gagarin.
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Goalkeeper. 1949. Soviet painter Sergei Grigoriev. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Soviet painter Sergei Grigoriev (1910 – 1988), People’s Artist of the Soviet Union and member of the USSR Academy of Arts, has played a major role in the formation of the Soviet Ukraine school of art as an outstanding painter and teacher. Grigoriev embarked on his artistic career in the late 1920s — early 1930s. He started as a graphic artist, working hard as a book illustrator, designer of posters and murals, and interior decorator. Beginning in the late 1930s, he gradually emerged as a lyrical painter. In his portraits, genres pictures, and landscapes, he created images filled with humaneness and harmony with the surrounding world. Ten years later, in the late 1940s, he established himself in Soviet painting as a mature master of multi figural, complex compositions.
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