Soviet Art

USSR Culture

Soviet Children Learning Art

Soviet Children Learning Art

Soviet Children Learning Art

Soviet Children Learning Art … Everyone has his own, unique childhood. But there are common elements that unite several generations in one concept: the Soviet people. And all of them come from childhood. Regardless of nationality, Soviet children were brought up on the same values. Kids in kindergarten were taught to distinguish between good and bad, set an example of famous historical figures and prominent contemporaries: the heroes of war and labor, the best representatives of various professions. Children were also shown negative examples, and they were presented so pedagogically correct that caused rejection in young citizens of the USSR on a subconscious level.

Soviet Children Learning Art. Drawing from nature

Drawing from nature

To the spiritual food for the children, the Soviet government paid special attention. Before to sow “reasonable, good, eternal” in the fragile minds of children, the Ministry of Culture officials have passed a book, song or movie through a strict censorship. No less strictly they filtered “adult” works of art, because in the Soviet Union there was not age restrictions. Even movies for “16+”, that nosy children still managed to see, were cleaned up, trimmed and fitted to the ideological platform.

Young sculptor Valentin Yakovlev, Moscow, 1952

Young sculptor Valentin Yakovlev spends his free time after school at the House of pioneers, learning at the art club, Moscow, photo from the magazine “Soviet Union”, 1952

At the same time, artists, writers, poets, filmmakers and composers tried to do their best for kids. And not only because of fear of censorship. Creative people liked to see their works brought up in the younger generation such qualities as kindness, compassion, respect for elders, love for all living things. Thanks to children’s magazines and newspapers, paintings and sculptures, novels and adventure stories, movies, cartoons and musical performances those who grew up in the USSR, remember it as the happiest time. It was a huge and bright world full of faith in the goodness, justice and universal happiness. The world that was real. It was only later, much later, it turned into an illusory … And then the children were truly happy.

Soviet Children Learning Art

Soviet Children Learning Art

Ilya Borovikov, 13 years old. At the fair. Gouache. Moscow. 1990

Soviet Children Learning Art

Lena Korovina. 10 years old. St. Basil’s Cathedral. 1980

Soviet Children Learning Art

Lena Shinkareva , 14 years old. At Pleshcheeva lake. Color linocut. Moscow. 1989

Soviet Children Learning Art

Masha Uzkikh, 13 years old. In the village. Watercolor. Miass, Chelyabinsk region. 1989

Soviet Children Learning Art

Natasha Osipova, 14 years old. Gold ring of Russia. Gouache. Moscow

Soviet Children Learning Art

Tanya Dyachkova , 10 years old. The Bolshoi Theatre. Gouache. Moscow. 1990

Soviet Children Learning Art

Tolya Peskaev, 11 years old. Fun evening. Gouache. Moscow. 1989

Soviet Children Learning Art

Soviet Children Learning Art

Soviet Children Learning Art

Art lessons

Soviet Children Learning Art

Children Learning Art

Soviet Children Learning Art

Learning Art

Soviet Children Learning Art

Art lesson

Soviet Children Learning Art

Art lesson in USSR, 1980s

Soviet Children Learning Art

Photo by V. Krupsky, magazine Young Artist, 1986

Soviet Children Learning Art

L. Ivanov. Lesson in the art school

Soviet Children Learning Art

Exhibition at art school. Young artist 12-1983

Soviet Children Learning Art

Learning to paint landscape

Soviet Children Learning Art

Art lessons in the USSR

Soviet Children Learning Art

Art lessons in the USSR

Images are scanned from Soviet era magazines