Soviet Art

USSR letters of lights, Kalinin Avenue, 1977. Soviet photographer Viktor Akhlomov

Soviet photographer Viktor Akhlomov was born March 15, 1938 in Moscow. He is one of the most famous photographers of the USSR and Russia. During his professional lifetime Viktor has captured many celebrities and world-historical scale personalities, such as Yuri Gagarin, Ernesto Che Guevara, and Anna Akhmatova. Viktor Akhlomov is an honored Worker of Culture of Russia. In addition, he is the winner of the Russian Journalists’ Union, many All-Union, Russian and international exhibitions and competitions. Besides, he is the four-time winner of the prestigious competition «World Press Photo», winner of the “Golden Eye” – the highest award of Russian photojournalism, Honorary Member of the Union of Photographers of Russia. Akhlomov started working as a photographer for the newspaper “Izvestia” March 5, 1960. To this day, and it is the only entry in his employment record.
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‘Garnet Bracelet’, 1965, director A. Room. Soviet actress Ariadna Shengelaya as Vera

Soviet actress Ariadna Shengelaya
She was the actress of luxury beauty and played the best aristocratic characters of classic Russian literature. In particular, Tatyana Larina (Onegin, 1958), Evgenia Grandet (main role in the movie “Garnet Bracelet”, 1960) and duchess Mary in “Shot” (1966). Beauty of the actress attracted attention of many filmmakers. In the late 1950’s – early 1960’s she was one of the most popular actresses of the Soviet cinema. Lyrical talent and uncommon poetic charm of the actress fully revealed her best roles of princesses, countesses and duchesses.
Ariadna became the winner of the II All-Union Film Festival in the category “Award for the actors” in 1959, for the film “Evgeny Onegin”. In 1965 she was named Best actress in a poll of the magazine “Soviet Screen” for her role in “Garnet Bracelet”. Shengelaya is People’s Artist of the Georgian SSR (1979), People’s Artist of Russia (2000).
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Natalia Varley and Alexander Demyanenko as Nina and Shurik in Best USSR comedy Kidnapping Caucasian Style, 1966

Best USSR comedy Kidnapping Caucasian Style
Comedy film “Kidnapping, Caucasian Style” (1966), directed by Leonid Gaidai is an unsurpassed classic of cinema, best comedy in history, a real masterpiece of the 20th century! It is no exaggeration to say that the film was watched by every Soviet viewer several times. Only in the USSR it was watched by 76 500 000 people. No one has yet managed to beat Leonid Gaidai. The first time the film was shown on April 1, 1967. The spectators were literally rolling on the floor laughing. In another way, it was simply impossible. It was a completely new approach to cinema. The film “Kidnapping, Caucasian Style” is a masterwork, near and dear to everyone.
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Soviet Estonian actress Eve Kivi

Soviet Estonian actress Eve Kivi was in the first cohort of beauties of Soviet cinema. She was called sex symbol of Soviet cinema, Estonian Brigitte Bardot. Despite the fact that filmography of Eve does not contain a large number of leading roles, she has traveled to 47 countries. Officials clearly wanted to show that the Soviet Union has a beauty not worse than Brigitte Bardot. Men loved Eve, women envied her, and journalists are still gossiping about her tumultuous personal life. She was a secret passion of General Secretary of the Communist Party of the USSR Yuri Andropov. American rebellion, musician and actor Dean Reed said that he lived for her. The personal physician of President Allende fell in love with her. She was in Lamonede with Salvador Allende in his last tragic moments. French actor Georges Rivière was in love with her.
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Woman – Proletarian, master aviation technology … Soviet poster artist Maria Bri-Bein. 1931

The author of this poster – Soviet poster artist Maria Bri-Bein. Her statement was “for the successful implementation of the historic tasks artist should maintain his two main development tools – clarity and mass.” Maria’s posters are clear, specific, dynamic, expressive, not overloaded with details, and are interesting to contemporaries not only with the plot, but that they were made by the woman – artist. The struggle of the Soviet state for the “liberation” of women, the approval of the idea of ​​the necessity of her participation in the creative work is reflected in the paintings of many painters. The Soviet era heroine in artworks by Bri-Bein is stately, beautiful, confident in her work, mission, and her future.
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Soviet writer S. Mikhalkov, poet, fabulist, playwright, war correspondent, author of the text of the anthem of the USSR, Chairman of the RSFSR Writers’ Union

March 13, 1913 was born Sergey Mikhalkov – Soviet Russian writer, poet, playwright, war correspondent, author of the text of the anthem of the USSR, Chairman of the RSFSR Writers’ Union. Member of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks (1950). The fame to Mikhalkov brought his works for children. Hero of Socialist Labor (1973), winner of the Lenin Prize (1970), three Stalin Prizes of the second degree (1941, 1942, 1950), the State Prize of the RSFSR of Stanislavsky (1977) and the USSR State Prize (1978). Honored Artist of the RSFSR. Member of parliament of 8-11 convocations of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Member of the Great Patriotic War.
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Gorgeous Soviet fashion model Regina Zbarskaya (1935, Leningrad – 1987, Moscow)

In Soviet times, the profession of a “model” was as mysterious and unattainable, like a profession of astronaut or attache in France. Soviet people remember well the fashion magazine “Silhouette”, and some issues of the fashion magazines featuring Soviet fashion model Regina Zbarskaya. The models were inhabitants of heaven, even greater than film actresses, these at least were shown on television and interviewed for newspapers. Where the models like Regina live and how they work – remained a mystery. All these secrets revealed in the post-Soviet era. And then we have learned about sad fate of Regina Zbarskaya, betrayed by everybody – from friends and relatives to fans …
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