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Socialist realism

Expanded Socialist Poster

Anti-American Poster 1953

Important groups

Definition and History of Socialist Realism (AKA: Heroic Realism or Fascist Realism)

Russian Marriage 1924

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary Socialist Realism is: a Marxist aesthetic theory calling for the didactic use of literature, art, and music to develop social consciousness in an evolving socialist state. Socialist Realism compelled, often by force or negative coercion, for artists of all forms to author positive or uplifting reflections of socialist utopian life by using any visual media such as: posters, movies, news papers, theater and radio beginning on or after the Communist Revolution of 1917 especially during the rein of Josef Stalin beginning in 1924 until the 1980's.

In 1917 Vladimir Lenin, head of the Russian government 1917-1924, laid the foundation fr this new wave of art, stating that art is for the people and the people should love and understand it. He felt that art in any form should unite the masses. Artists such as Naum Gabo and Antoine Pevsner attempted to define the lines of art under Lenin by writing "The Realist Manifesto" in 1920. However, Lenin had a different idea for art; wanting art to be functional, and Stalin built on that with the belief that art should be propaganda.

In 1934 Maxim Gorky, founder of the Socialist Realist movement, proclaimed at the Soviet Writer's congress that: any works of art that portrayed a negative or anti-governmental view of Russia were illegal. Thus turning individual artists and their masterpieces into state controlled propaganda.

After the death of Stalin in 1953, his predecessor Nikita Khrushchev openly condemned Stalin's artistic demands in 1957, and thus began a reversal in policy known as "Khrushchev's Thaw." He believed that artists should not be contained and should be allowed to live by their creative talents. In 1964 Khrushchev was removed and replaced by Leonid Brezhnev who followed the ideals of Stalin and reversed the artistic decisions made by Khrushchev.

However buy the early 1980's the Socialist Realist movement had begun to fade. History remarks that the Russian Social Realist movement as the most shunned period of Soviet Art.

Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia (AKhRR)[edit]

The Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia (AKhRR) was established in 1922 and was one of the most influential artist groups in the USSR. The AKhRR worked to truthfully document contemporary life in Russia by utilizing "heroic realism". The term "heroic realism" was the beginning of the socialist realism archetype. AKhRR was sponsored by influential government officials such as: Leon Trotsky and carried favor with the Red Army.

In 1928, the AKhRR was renamed to Association of Artists of the Revolution (AKhR) in order to include the rest of the Soviet states. At this point the group began participating in state promoted mass forms of art such as: murals, jointly made paintings, advertisement production, and textile design. The group disbanded on April 23, 1932 by the decree "On the Reorganization of Literary and Artistic Organizations" serving as the nucleus for the stalinist USSR Union of Artists.

Society of Easel Painters (OSt)[edit]

While the Society of Easel Painters (OSt) was also focused on the glorification of the revolution they, as per their name, worked individually as easel painters. The most common subjects of the OSt's works fit with the developing socialist realism trope. Their paintings consisted of sport, battle, industry, and modern technology.

The OSt broke up in 1931 due to some members' demand to transition to collective print and poster work. Prominate members of the OSt's included Aleksandr Deyneka (till 1928), Yuri Pimanov, Aleksandr Labas, Pyotr Vilyams, all of whom were students or ex-students of Moscow's art school, Vkhutemas

The Union of Soviet Writers (USW)

The Union of Soviet Writers was created for the same reason other unions of creative professions were formed; to dictate, control and censor the works of literature. The official reason, as voiced by the Party Central committee under the Decree on the Reconstruction of Literary and Artistic Organizations on April 23, 1932 was because, “existing proletarian literature and art organizations (VOAPP,RAPP, RATIM) were becoming too narrow and [were] hampering the serious development of artistic creation.”

One of the most famous authors during this time was Alexander Fadeyev(24, December 1901- 13, May 1956). Fadeyev was a close person friend of Stalin and called Stalin "one of the greatest humanists the world has ever seen."His most famous works include "The Rout" and "The Young Guard"."The Young Guard" is a book written by Fadeyev, it was written about an anti-German group called the Young Guards, a group of young men that opposed the Germans. The book details the story of a few different members of the group. It was praised by the Soviet Union and the patriotism show by the group of men.