The phenomenon of the USSR art in 1920-30

Unlike German people, who looked to the future through harnessing the aesthetic form and developing power in the present moment, which obviously resulted from the different mentalities, the cultural elite in the first post-revolutionary years under the aegis of Soviet power preferred the “pie in the sky”. Fabulously beautiful, calling, but still a “pie”. It was probably due to the substantial underdevelopment of Russia in relation to the leading countries of Western Europe, and to overcome this problem in the industry, science, and other spheres man exactly needed “fabulous” motivation.

But a “pie”, which is basic forms of communistic future, flew too high in the sky... In short, it was necessary to solve the serious problems of the country's existence; one needed a strong industry, which did not exist, and production technology, which was also quite distant. The paramount needs of the state, the basis of which was universal literacy, were outlined by Stalin in his famous speech at the First All-Union Conference of Socialist Industry Workers on February 4, 1931: "We are 50 to 100 years behind the leading countries. We must cover that distance in ten years. Either we will do it, or we will be crushed. 

As we know, post-war Europe, especially in the first years, was in spiritual and political perplexity. It did not need the Bolshevist revolution, and it was not possible for many reasons. Launched in Russia in 1917, it ricocheted into Germany and Hungary and was "stuck" in the depths of dense inter-bourgeois relations that history had not broken. In short, having somehow recovered from World War I, European countries were trying to live the life they were used to. The level of industry in Western Europe was sufficiently high, and culture, no matter how the avant-garde would tear it down, allowed for all kinds of experiments, which, generally speaking, was beneficial to it. Nevertheless, having somehow recovered from the shock of the recent war, Europe lived in considerable disquiet. This was caused, in particular, by postwar radicalism, which had very good reasons. 

         If one takes a closer look at the countries, where fascist regimes were established, there is a curious feature: the increase of far-right parties was typical of states that unsuccessfully entered World War I and even more unsuccessfully withdrew from it (Germany). And this is absolutely natural, as political, economic, and social crises were primarily intrinsic to the countries that lost the war. Thus, an amount of the depressed European regions grew in 1920-30, which contributed to the frustration of the actively impoverished masses. 

         The colonies, seizing the opportunity to break away from the metropolises, gradually freed themselves from the European colonizers, with Great Britain, of course, dominating. Technological progress was not going anywhere either. War, as it has always been, gave rise to technology and technological development. Technogenic processes were already making the growth of mass culture possible in the 1930s, in the womb of which the “man of the masses”, who would be born after World War II, was already tossing around. That is when the departure of a kind of “nursing staff” could ensure the more comfortable birth of the “child” of pop culture. But this would happen in the distant 1960s. 

         In the late 1920s, Soviet Russia adopted the technological achievements of the West by improving them with their own. Since we are “fixated” on culture, we will, first of all, discuss forms of art. Particularly as Russia's generation, which was revolutionary in every sense, had complete freedom in this regard.

         The post-war West in those years had not yet recovered from the war and, in essence, could not suggest anything fundamentally new, except, perhaps, architectural forms. In Soviet architecture, on the other hand, paradoxically, it was not ideology but form and functionthat dominated. In general, in the West, innovation in art was marked with the stamp of entertainment and distraction of human consciousness from the reality of everyday life. Except for the art in Germany, as we know, where it was morally and ethically destructive. Anyway, unlike practically all European states, the art of the USSR carried a dream, not a digging in its faults, imperfections, and spiritual excrements. And the results of the global idea were not long in coming to fruition.

         Inspired by the powerful theme of creating a new world, the art of Soviet Russia searched for and explored rather powerful visually impactful elements, which reflected the building of the new society and human-being in it. 

         We will not discuss here the atrocities that Russia's new government carried with it, nor will we discuss the excesses that took untold numbers of those who disagreed and opposed the new political order to their graves. I will only point out the famous “philosophers' ship” which in 1922 deported prominent thinkers, scientists, and other “unnecessary” people from the state. There were worse things. Because losses of the intellectual nature can't be compared to, say, the devastation after the civil war in which many hundreds of thousands of people died. Many of them died as a result of the following “initiatives” of the “kitchen maids' children” who not only broke into power but also became it.

         Nor will we touch upon the “Jewish question” in all these processes detrimental to the country. Our task is to discover the power of ideas when, once they have taken hold of the masses, they truly lead to phenomenal results.

         To begin with, the death of the old Russia didn’t mean that the Country disappeared. It was the case when the forms of the state vanish or completely reform itself, while the Country continues to be. Embodied by the people, who had seen, or rather believed in, the light at the end of the tunnel, the wounded Country was being filled with strength, a will to live and faith in its new purpose.

         Despite the “old world,” which the Bolsheviks intended to destroy “to the ground”, new forms of art were in demand. There was a need for new directions in the visual arts, based on the images of the future. That is, new tasks required new solutions, and the visual arts needed works of a fundamentally different kind. As in Europe, the idea of reshaping everything that was “outdated” hovered in the Land of the Soviets. 

         Yet “striving for the best” alone was not enough to accomplish the aims that were set. Something greater was needed: a program for the reorganization of the state and the life of the people was essential. In fact the political existence of the state began from scratch. The "old" in the new conditions was only the “same” suffering and cruel existence of the people.

         However, inspired by the opportunity for the great changes and achievement of the declared happiness on earth, many people believed in the reality of elusive communism. After “wandering around Europe”, the latter found a home in the gullible people of Russia, prone to dreams, miracles, and illusions. But it is not this that is surprising, but the fact that, having believed the people, from workers and peasants to scientists and the creative elite, began to realize their amazing dreams in the industry (GOELRO), science, and the fine arts.

            Despite this, after a little more than two decades, when the creative idea (one of the first) finally discerned the ephemerality and unfulfillment of the main and so pretentiously proclaimed ideas, art in its best qualities and great diversity essentially withered. Devitalized in its basic belief in the attainment of a happy future, it continued to “fulfill the idea” in the dull and enthusiastic aesthetic of socialist realism, encouraged by the party authorities. This was a completely different kind of ardor, the “ardor” of the party and creative hierarchy, whose interests, while not particularly strengthening the state, have greatly weakened the country. However, socialist realism also produced a considerable number of outstanding works of art. This is already because life itself could not be pacified. Whatever the political and social form, it carried healthy energy. 

         But first things first.

         The first thing to note about the increasing dynamics of life in Soviet Russia is the political poster. Signed with short and succinct words that were well defined in meaning, it immediately struck the eye, “hitting” the consciousness as well. The Soviet poster was characterized by its close connection between ideology and history. It quickly responded to the issues of the day and had the strongest impact on people's feelings. A poster of this kind was a truly new phenomenon in the visual arts.

         Dmitry Moor (D. S. Orlov) had a particularly vivid and powerful presence in it. His expressive images in the posters “Did you sign up as a volunteer?” (1920), “Wrangel is still alive, finish him off without mercy!” and many others achieved their goal. The pleading poster “Help” (1921) has amazing power. In it, the sun-burned empty grain ear is broken and penetrates the body of an equally emaciated, starving peasant. This masterpiece is a symbol of natural disaster. Moor's best posters are true works of art, revealed in a new style and visual form.