Art and Culture in the Soviet Union
Act I Scene Two
Act II Scene One
Dance in the Soviet Union
Movies in the Soviet Union
Act I Scene One
- One of the key art forms that was restricted was dance, ballet in particular. Many dancers like Nijinsky were put under high supervision and would be sent away, or even killed if they were caught going anti-communist.
- Dancers were usually only allowed to perform in the Soviet Union, and in the rare times they were allowed to tour in theEurope or the USA, they were guarded around the clock so they couldn’t defect. The dancers would have their own apartments where they were closely watched.
- In modern dance and in modern ballet, the stories that were told would have to be politically approved.
- Vladimir Lenin in 1923 called cinema “the most important medium for educating the masses in the ways, means and successes of Communism.” Cinema and the government were linked under Stalin’s command so films could be made but under strict rules and regulations.
- The American characters in the Soviet Union films were normally raping women, taking drugs, or drinking a lot.
- Many of the movies that were made in the Soviet Union were about struggles between the rich and the poor. The Soviet movies were known for their use of propaganda during the Cold War. Putting Soviet propaganda in the movies was ideal because it reached a large audience.
- Between the years 1946-50, 46% of all the villains in Soviet movies were American. Officials started to notice that making Americans look bad was not popular with audiences. So the Soviet Union government decided to change their tactics and start making movies that shone a good light on Soviet life. This worked out, and more people went to see these movies.
- The Soviet Union existed 69 years, (1922-1991), and was a single party state which was led by the Communist party in Moscow.
- The Soviet Union government powers were strong, especially during the Cold War. A lot of propaganda happened through art, and many restrictions were put on the arts and culture.
- Russian culture had a long and rich history before the Soviet Union was founded. Centuries back, there were many great Russian writers, composers, dancers, actors, and artists. The Soviet Union era was building on what had already existed. What changed with art during the Soviet years was that it was government controlled.
Act I Scene Three
Act II Scene Three
Famous Dancers in the Soviet Union
Music in the Soviet Union
- Nureyev: He was a Soviet-born dancer. He was known for his ballet and modern dance and was celebrated during the entire 20th Century. He was known for defecting the Soviet Union in 1961, and successfully fleeting to America
This project has helped me appreciate the freedom that artists have in this country. I hope you have learned something too.
- Music was a big part of the Soviet Union, a lot of music that was made during the Cold War was new and was thought of as “going against Russian culture.” Classical music was the music of the Russian Empire, this was the only type of music that was allowed to be played in concert halls and in the public was classical music.
- Jazz music became very popular in the Soviet Union but was looked down upon by the government because it was so American. Because of this, jazz bands felt threatened and had broken up.
- Ivanovna: Balabina was a famous ballet dancer. She made her debut in "The Red Poppy", later joining some of the best Soviet Union dance companies.
- Baryshnikov: Mikhail Baryshnikov was a famous dancer, choreographer, and actor. He was thought of as one of the best ballet dancers of all time. He defected the Soviet Union and started performing in the New York City Ballet, and the American Theater Ballet.
Thank You!
Act III Scene Two
How were artists affected by the Soviet Union government?
Soviet Nonconformist Art: Art that was made between the years 1953-1986 that went against government restrictions
Act IV Scene One
Radio in the Soviet Union
Act IV Scene Two
Theater in the Soviet Union
- A decree was issued called“On the Reconstruction of Literary-Artistic Organizations." This said that all artists would be under the Communist party's control.
- This new decree listed unacceptable art: Political art, religious art, and erotic art
- Bginning in 1936, artists who didn’t listen to these regulations were sent to a gulag, or murdered. Artists like Baturin spent 32 years in prison because of not following Communist party rules.
- Art students who created unacceptable art were expelled from art school. With Stalin’s death in 1953, many changes were made regarding propaganda and art. Khrushchev, during his speech at the Twentieth Party Congress in 1956 said that he was hoping that all artists would have more freedom to create more personal art without repercussions. After the speech many paintings with Stalin's face were removed from public areas. Even with all of these changes the Social Realism policy still hadn't officially changed,.
- In the 1970’s nonconformist artists had started secretly showing their art to the public. Their art was called “underground art”. The first auction in the Soviet Unionof modern and contemporary art was held in 1988, allowing people from other countries to see and bid on the art.
- The government would practice radio “jamming,” which stopped the transmission of radio signals during radio programs. “Jamming” was often used to cut political news that the government disapproved of.
- Radio played a big part during the Cold War, and as in Fahrenheit 451 the government sent out messages quickly and easily to a large audience of people. Like today, everything on the radio was scripted, but during the cold war those scripts were approved by the government.
- There would be long “commercials” during broadcasts which would be full of praises about the Soviet Union, and talking about how the USA was the enemy.
- Theater had a lot of government constraints and propaganda. “Communist character” was created during the Cold War where the main character would talk about how good the Soviet Union was.
- The bad guy would normally be someone who was American, or anti-communist. Scripts would have to be approved by the government so that a play could be produced.
- The costumes, and even make up would also have to be approved by the government to make sure the audiences didn’t get the “wrong idea.”
Act III Scene Three
Art from the Soviet Union
A piece of avant-garde art that was thought of as "disgraceful" during the Cold War in the Soviet Union.
Act III Scene One
Act IV Scene Three
Visual Art in the Soviet Union
A work done by Gaiety, known as one of the best artists in the Soviet Union. This particular piece was awarded "The Most Outstanding Feature of the Soviet Union in the 1960s."
Artist Defection in the Soviet Union
This work by Kovilenko was part of the "Global Spotlight Russia: Military exhibition" at the Woodbury Art Museum in 1960.
- Visual art was a medium that changed drastically in the Soviet Union during the Cold War. One form of art that was popular was Socialist Realism (Art that would be sponsored by the government and government run).
- In the spring of 1932 the Central Committee of the Communist Party said that all literary and artistic groups would be replaced with associations of artists that would be “unified”.
- Many artists were asked to create pictures of Lenin as a hero or “god.” Anything that was anti-communist or avant-garde would be burned or thrown away.
- Art exhibit spaces would be bulldozed, burned or robbed if there was any suspicion of anti-communist art being shown. These robberies, bulldozing, and burnings would be sponsored by the Soviet Union government.
- Artist defection was something that intrigued Americans. Defection in the Soviet Union was popular, especially with artists, and dancers.
- Defection was the act of secretly leaving the Soviet Union, and moving somewhere else. Many artists fled to America, and left the Soviet Union. In America they would have lots of security around the artist so Russia wouldn’t do anything to get the artist back in the Soviet Union.
- A famous ballet star that defected the Soviet Union was Rudolf Nureyev, who was a young, famous ballet dancer in the Soviet Union. When he was 20 he was one of Kirov Opera Ballets featured soloists, something very few ballet dancers would be able to get.
- On June 16th 1961, when his dance group was boarding a plane in France to go back to Russia he broke free and went into the arms of the France Security where they gave him political asylum. After the defection he worked with England’s Ballet, and led a long and prosperous life.
- The defection of the Soviet Union was normally dramatic and a big deal.