Soviet Art

USSR Culture

Soviet poster artist Maria Bri-Bein

Woman - Proletarian, master aviation technology ... 1931

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.
Read more »

Soviet writer Sergey Mikhalkov

Soviet writer Sergey Mikhalkov, poet, fabulist, playwright, war correspondent, author of the text of the anthem of the USSR, Chairman of the RSFSR Writers' Union

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.
Read more »

Soviet fashion model Regina Zbarskaya

Soviet fashion model Regina Zbarskaya (1935, Leningrad - 1987, Moscow)

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 …
Read more »

Soviet actress Ninel Myshkova

Soviet actress Ninel Myshkova in Sadko, 1952

Soviet actress Ninel Myshkova (May 8, 1926, Leningrad, USSR – September 13, 2003, Moscow, Russia) – Soviet film and stage actress. Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1976). Film Sadko, 1952

Soviet actress Ninel Myshkova was born May 8, 1926 in Leningrad. Her father, Konstantin Romanovich Myshkov was a lieutenant general of artillery. In the post-revolutionary period, many parents gave their new-born children unusual names, and Konstantin also didn’t remain aloof from these trends. Name Ninel means LENIN is read from right to left, but Ninel herself did not like her name and preferred to be called Eva. In 1947, Ninel graduated from the Theatre School named after Boris Shchukin, where she studied in the studio of V.K.Lvova. On the same course with Ninel Myshkova studied the future stars of Soviet cinema Yulia Borisova, Alla Parfanyak and Elvira Lutsenko.
Read more »

Soviet Georgian actress Sofiko Chiaureli

Soviet Georgian actress Sofiko Chiaureli. 'The Color of Pomegranate' (1972)

Soviet Georgian actress Sofiko Chiaureli. ‘The Color of Pomegranate’ (1972) (21 May 1937 – 2 March 2008)

Soviet Georgian actress Sofiko Chiaureli was born May 21, 1937 in Tbilisi, Georgian SSR of the USSR. Her mother was actress Veriko Andzhaparidze and her father – founder of Georgian Musical Comedy Theatre named after Vaso Abashidze, a theater director, artist and filmmaker Michael Chiaureli. Sofiko had two brothers. One of them, Otar Chiaureli, later graduated from the Tbilisi Academy of Arts and became a documentary filmmaker. The second brother of Sofiko, Ramaz Chiaureli, graduated from the Directing Department of State institute of Theatrical Art in Moscow. He directed performances “Far from Moscow” and “Twelfth Night”, and was also engaged in the documentary. Both brothers of Sophiko mysteriously gone from life when they turned 49 years old.
Read more »

Soviet Set Designer Boris Knoblok

Soviet Set Designer Boris Knoblok in 1950s

Soviet Set Designer Boris Knoblok, 1950s

Soviet Set Designer Boris Knoblok (April 19, 1903, Moscow – February 4, 1984, Moscow) – Honored Artist of the RSFSR, the winner of the Stalin and the State Prize of the Tatar ASSR. Boris Georgievich Knoblok belonged to a generation of artists who came to the theater decorative art from painting, architecture, graphic. They mastered a new profession, putting their first performances. Many could not withstand the theater test. Knoblok survived, stayed there forever. He perfectly mastered the traditional space of the stage, drama and music, willingly designed there the performances of contrasting genres. But if within the “scene – the box” was not enough for him, and he was constantly looking for the application of his abilities in the circus, cinema and sports.
Read more »

6th World Festival of Youth in USSR

Moscow during 6th World Festival of Youth in USSR

Moscow during 6th World Festival of Youth in USSR

VI World Festival of Youth and Students – Youth International festival, which opened July 28, 1957 in Moscow. The guests of the festival were 34,000 people from 131 countries. The slogan of the festival – “For Peace and Friendship”. The head artist of the VI World Festival of Youth and Students in 1957 was Boris Knoblok. One can marvel at the scale of thinking of the artist, his inexhaustible imagination, together with the experience of the joy of collective creativity, the foresight with which he and the organizers of the festival went to meet the people’s initiative, turning the aesthetic factor in the warm hospitality of Muscovites. The symbol of the Youth Forum, which was attended by delegates of leftist youth organizations in the world, became a dove of peace, devised by Pablo Picasso.
Read more »