Revolution by Design: The Soviet Poster

January 23, 2004 2:12 PM

Revolution by Design: The Soviet Poster
Amazing examples of graphic design from the masters of propaganda. For those of you feeling a little revolutionary this weekend!
posted by hypnorich (6 comments total)

Beginning in 1934, Stalin embarked on a thorough purge of the Party, then the army. Anyone remotely suspected of opposition or even lack of enthusiasm was exiled to the camps or shot. The slaughter claimed untold thousands and ended only as the real war approached.

It's good that this history of propaganda posters doesn't try to hide the reality of the regime that was being propagandized. While these posters are fascinating to study, and some are even beautiful (in an aesthetic sense only), I always cringed when I used to walk by friends who happily hung propaganda posters in their homes or offices. I know for sure that they would not hang posters from Nazi Germany. Irony doesn't excuse everything.
posted by profwhat at 3:34 PM on January 23, 2004

It's only propaganda if it is relevent to your context. A propaganda poster from Soviet Russia in a dorm room does not constitute propaganda. You'd be better off cringing more productively.
posted by filchyboy at 3:49 PM on January 23, 2004

Man, some of those are absolutely gorgeous!

*This is good*
posted by starscream at 4:27 PM on January 23, 2004

I was in Paris for the first time last week, and spent a fair amount of time at the Centre Pompidou (the National Gallery of Modern Art).

I'm not certain what the context was (my french is rather limited) but they had a room filled with unbelievable examples of the Soviet propaganda art. Separated from their political context, they're extraordinary examples of graphic design.

Just thought I'd mention it for you Parisians who may happen to be out there.
posted by aladfar at 5:21 PM on January 23, 2004

The Soviets were masters of propaganda? When did they ever convince the populace to go to war over non-existent weapons?
posted by Twang at 1:59 PM on January 24, 2004

Nice find - thanks hypnorich, thanks. Also related, this plep post on propaganda posters from Mexico, Cuba, Russia.
posted by madamjujujive at 8:47 AM on January 25, 2004