Socialist Realism - Soviet Art From the Avant-Garde to Stalin

In this video I explore the history of Socialist Realism and the Avant-Garde in the Soviet Union.
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Music:
String Impromptu Number 1 Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...

[@aaron2709]

Well done but the music is louder than your voice. Hard to hear what you're saying.

[@Confucius_76]

Socialist Realist paintings are beautiful! Why are they never shown in documentaries about the Soviet Union? Only the ugly, blocky, propaganda is shown

[@The80sWolf_]

Because of "red scare" :)

[@djcointelpro8470]

hmmm bourgeoise propaganda

[@qazaqstanmann]

Thought I was the only one who liked them. I like them not simply because of the propaganda but simply as they are, sublime and touching, or rather not the ones of Stalin or Lenin which are wonderfully done but really are pure propaganda. Muh bourgeois sentimentality, get your heads out your arses and act like men with souls.

[@inanedreamz673]

As someone surrounded by American culture, at least they gave a shit about art

[@noheroespublishing1907]

As an American, I agree with this sentiment; it's fascinating how US films actually really seemed challenged by Soviet Cinema. No way a person like David Lynch or Stanley Kubrick could be who they were without people like Sergei Eisenstein or Anderi Tarkovsky. What would Steven Spielberg's 'Schindler's List' or 'Saving Private Ryan' be without Elem Klimov's 'Come And See'? Soviet Cinema was even praised by filmmaker George Lucas for having far more creative freedom, as they were less concerned about the boxoffice returns and content, so long as they didn't feel it outright attacked the government, was pretty open compared to how narrow Hollywood is; the profit motive censors art in different ways than the government does.

[@paquinponce846]

I don't want to listen to music when I try to listen.

[@Vid1917]

Ahistorical. Not only was Constructivism not banned, it was not funded by the CC or the comissars. Socialist realism became the standard because at that time, yes, only educated intellectuals could digest the art. Most of the population had no interpretation or appreciation for Constructivism. And the Stalin era of the USSR was not totalitarian by any means

[@pmishiku5095]

Mausov thank you

[@gareth_vieira2632]

Well said. Well spoken.

[@alexandrospapantoniou2776]

Very good content but the music is literally disturbing the listener from paying attention.

[@waxcat4201]

Amazing resources and production on this. Cant wait for your next video!

[@stevesayewich8594]

I enjoy art whether it represents state sponsored values or more Avant-Garde. The art in Germany during the Weimar Republic is similar.

[@neggit2063]

Except Nazi art is banned, locked away.

[@AntonKuznetsovMusic]

why not use music from that period as well?

[@povilasrackauskas857]

Beautiful, keep going

[@tatianabatchila5466]

Can I ask about your sources? I'm considering using information I find here in a paper, but I can only use it if I can find other sources ot back the information up.

[@mdiamandis1187]

Hi, do you maybe have a transcript from this video? English is not my first language so it would be really helpful to read along as I find this video very interesting

[@jonkeuviuhc1641]

The video has english subtitles, if it helps...

[@guthrie505]

what are your sources?

[@AZP-im7gk]

Adri A ur mother

[@jlucdalmasso]

Interesting documentary but the music is too loud and it should have been soviet music from that period.

[@michaszeremeta4745]

well done. Really good job.

[@allyalexrodriguez]

What are your sources? Am writing on avant garde art in the ussr

[@schwarzhund2740]

Very good video as always

[@bobbyokeefe4285]

The music is WAY too loud,struggled to follow.

[@nyemorgan3963]

What is the piece of music called

[@JozefLewitzky]

How do you not have more subs?? These are incredible! I knew of soviet art, but with no depth. This is really shedding some light on a not well known topic.

[@ivann2389]

But today's idealism and worship of the rich and glamorous lifestyle only accessible to the very few in power is any different from the "state propaganda" of soviet realism that "pendels between realism and wishful thinking"? "Keeping up with the Kardashians"? Burgeouis undertones all through the video, soviet realism is arguably more advanced and artistic than what western artists like Picasso or other expressionists did during that time in the capitalist west.

[@ivann2389]

Forgot to add, check out works by Alexei Vasiljev or Alexandr Alexandrovic for some modern, beautiful social realism.

[@moondust2365]

@@ivann2389 There's also the works of North Korean art students. Socialist realism reminds me of more classical western work, but also weirdly, realism here in the Philippines. Some art works give you a sense of realism, but the strokes are thick enough that you can tell it's a painting. The texture of paint also shows, giving you a sense that it wasn't the best paint in the world, that it was "accessible" to common folk. I'm also a fan of Avant-garde and it's more modern and contemporary successors. Sometimes it can be very abstract, the meaning somewhat inaccessible, but the shapes give you a false sense of "this is easy to do." The composition and layout are what really bring it together. More modern art is basically minimalist, semi-geometric, caricature/cartoons. Where, through digital software, artists use the "basic" shapes to create objects, but in a more obvious form, contrasting with Avant-garde's abstractness.

[@thevoiceofthelost]

Picasso was a comrade tho

[@Black_pearl_adrift]

any sources or further reading you found interesting?

[@NightmareMasterclass]

Now do Capitalist Realism.

[@gofar5185]

EXCELLENT...!

[@eurosplendor1111]

the Nikolai Panayotov mosaics in Bulgaria are the most impressive piece I've seen. all his murals are epic. don't forget the sci-fi writers! Stanislaw Lem, Lyuben Dilov, Strugatsky brothers... as far as suture society goes, they were immersed in it!

[@colemantrebor1610]

Wow, incredible video. Invaluable in helping me understand Socialist Realism for my Russian History course. Extremely well written with a unique perspective. Thank you!

[@spritualelitist665]

Soviet realism and Italian Futurism were the peak of modern art for me.

[@user-ly9oe9vs5d]

Футуризм в СССР тоже был популярен. Тот же Маяковский - отличный пример.

[@samdixon6433]

@@user-ly9oe9vs5d ah yes, the totally not fascist Italian futurists.

[@incacoca]

Why do you have music playing over the entire video? Although the music itself is good, it is distracting and makes listening to the narration difficult. I had to turn off the video midway because of it.

[@eduardingles1468]

Good video. It would be good to have some referencing

[@DeepTitanic]

You don't need to use references when you're being negative about the USSR

[@andrzejmaranda3699]

Then & Now: for me, this video is SOOO INTERESTING!

[@enjoythelittlethings2983]

I research about Social realism art and this came out...In year 2022..

[@wearethenightparty]

Good but music is too loud and narration too quiet. Reload!

[@user-wl2xl5hm7k]

Lewis: I like how much you emphasize Habermas’ ‘public sphere’ for democratic discussion/argumentation. The structure of YT is oppressive in how it gives power to YT channel users in discussion at the expense of other commenters. Though, on your last video you removed my 1st intellectual property abolition thread without notice to me. And you removed another comment in this video. So instead of immediately removing comments (or blocking users) from now on, I have a suggestion that you respond to each user with the same or similar following comment: “YT channel users can remove any comments and block other users from commenting for any reason. This is anti free speech and gives power to YT channel users at the expense of other users commenting on their channel. Your last comment _________, however I won’t immediately remove this comment. So instead I’m giving you until 24 hours from now to explain why I shouldn’t remove your last comment. (I’m also open to hearing explanations from anyone for why/how I should change this process)” Please let me know your thoughts. You could substitute “remove your comment” with “block you” or “remove your comment & block you” whenever it seems appropriate. It’s also important YT channels don’t ban any particular terms: *All terms can be ethically used in the right context* . It would be very beneficial for free speech & democracy on the internet if more channel users (& users/mods/platform holders on other sites) started conducting themselves like this.

[@Dong_Harvey]

This comment section takes the cake. It's a new world of critical discourse distilled down to 'Communism is Satan' or 'Trotsky was a facist'.. Did the r/cth quarantine break?

[@marieconstant6452]

Haitien Min l'Avant Garde ...gade POU WOUE si CE CA QUI TE NAN Plantation an...

[@alefbehrang4326]

The job of a serious critique is to remain neutral in order to be objective. But to be neutral is to present both sides of any story, or any analysis. Does this video do that?

[@Fryguystudios]

The idea of being neutral and objective is a fantasy. It implies that the person can step outside of the world and ideology that they're a part of and see the world through. You cannot view the world from outside of it.

[@alefbehrang4326]

@@Fryguystudios If you understand Marxism as an ideology, then you are correct: Ideologies are, by nature, bias and one-sided.

[@deejaybundst1671]

there are infinite sides!

[@gofar5185]

thank you thenandnow... arts and music that stalin encouraged in the world of proletariats and used cinemas to disseminate proletarian arts and music...

[@DialecticalMaterialismRocks]

Trotsky was the one, who was incredibly bourgeois. Stalin was not.

[@booyow7901]

The importance of art runs extremely deep. Uhuru Solidarity Movement is hosting a live web show called “Revolutionary Art and the Struggle for Reparations” to discuss how art is defined and used by the bourgeoisie as a tool of oppression, versus how it is used by the oppressed as a tool for liberation. USM is the mass organization of the African People’s Socialist Party to build white solidarity with black power. We will be interviewing APSP member Dexter and USM member Halley, who are both Boston-based artists. Tune in Tuesday September 17th at 7pm eastern (6 central / 4 pacific) KZbin.com/UhuruSolidarity This will also double as a fundraiser for the Black Power Blueprint, a black self-determination project based in North St. Louis. Learn more and donate at blackpowerblueprint.org ! facebook.com/events/499750150860362

[@christian53050]

Background music made ma leave...

[@specificgod3627]

Dreadful editing. The narration was totally obscured by the background score. Couldn't understand anything.

[@sebastiantigani2720]

Algorithm

[@adoesntequala5871]

Is this not propaganda?

[@e.m.r.9596]

yeah this is like if Orwell wrote art history

[@garysnow1475]

So that's where the Nazis got it!

[@m75f]

Really poor, does not analize the amazing painters and their art but blame Stalin, what the use of a video like this?

[@nyemorgan3963]

melt

[@elenadunn15]

What a stupid propaganda video! Avant-guarde and other similar styles were strongly criticised and out of favour with the state not because Stalin ate babies for breakfast, but because the state itself now belonged to the WORKING people who wanted to see themselves and their life reflected by art. They did not want to waste their money to support bohemianism and snobbery. Working people for the first time in history were building society for themselves and they insisted that masters of art (any form of art) must promote working people's ethics and aspirations; decadence and individualism had no place in society that was promoting collectivism and mutual cooperation. Therefor the state insisted on hired artists, actors and writers to satisfy the demands of those who hired them -- working people.

[@fredflintstone8998]

...'wanted to see themselves and their life reflected by art.' So, tell us, were there any paintings of life in the Gulags or starving peasants? ... and please tell us where in the video Stalin is accused of eating babies?

[@elenadunn15]

@@fredflintstone8998 I appreciate that you wanted to have a clever dig at Soviet history; unfortunately, you chose the stupidest propaganda cliches it was you misfortune to hear. 1) GULag is an abbreviation that means "Main Administration of labour Camps") It was an ADMINISTRATION OFFICE of part of a PENAL SYSTEM. If you know any country where there is no penal system, please let us know. GULag was set up in 1929 in accordance with the decree by which criminals (murderers, gangsters, robbers, traitors, members of terrorist organisations, collaborators and defectors, etc.) who were given sentences of 3 years and more, had to work and not just sit idly while the whole country was working. If it shocks you, just keep in mind the citadel of Western democracy -- USA, which currently has more inmates than GULag had from 1929 to 1960! And that's only government run US prisons and labour camps; how many people are enjoying the hospitality of US privately run prisons no one knows for sure. 2) In the USSR famine was only once (compare to every 4-5 years in Russian Empire), between 1932 -- 1933. It affected some regions of Ukrainian SSR, Russian Federation, and Belorussian SSR. At the same time famine was rife in Poland (btw, the most affected by famine areas of modern Ukraine at the time were part of Poland), Romania, Germany, Bulgaria, China and USA; there were severe food shortages in UK, -- correct me if I am wrong, but none of these countries had Stalin or bolsheviks (communists) in power. So, next time you will itch to say something, try to engage your brain.

[@fredflintstone8998]

@@elenadunn15 Hello Elena, I'm not defending the prison system of the USA. I was making two points. Firstly about your characterisation of any criticism of Stalin and secondly about 'soviet realism.'

[@fredflintstone8998]

or... 'socialist realism' if you prefer...

[@elenadunn15]

@@fredflintstone8998 And I'm not attacking the prison system in US. US has what it has. I'm simply pointing out that much vilified "gulag" in all of its history had less prisoners than USA currently has! If you want to criticise any period of Soviet history, or personally Stalin, be my guest; but in order to criticise one has to be acquainted with FACTS at least! Facts! Not propaganda pap that hasn't changed in almost 100 years.

[@Nomo_Popo]

I was hoping I'd get an analysis of art instead of anti-communist propaganda but since the music is louder than your voice it's easy to say your judgement isn't that great.

[@hoebread7584]

disliked as soon as you called the soviet union was totalitarian

[@haxios3588]

what was Stalin's regime then?

[@hoebread7584]

@@haxios3588 lost me at regime. Stalin's leadership was an example to us all, and helped save the USSR from a crippling famine and the threat of Nazism. you are thinking of the brutal tactics deployed by Beria, head of the nkvd, that were used as an attempt to secure his own power

[@owenstevens5139]

@@hoebread7584 That and Yezhov whom stalin had killed anyway for murdering thousands of civillians.

[@MacSmithVideo]

unironic tankies are the most hilarious race

[@DPazR]

A_Roll_N_Bread what about Holdomor?

[@albertoruiz7996]

You tube propaganda anticomunist of the lowes level 😕

[@sprengtportianpatriot6068]

What makes this propaganda? I think this documented the evolution of Soviet attitudes towards art quite well.

[@DeepTitanic]

@@sprengtportianpatriot6068 Everytime you say anything positive about the USSR that's factually correct. "There was no homelessness in the USSR" or "I like Soviet art" . Then you immediately have to talk about Stalin and how he ate babies for breakfast or discuss easily disproven Nazi talking points

[@lazar14]

Strong parallels with today´s "woke" culture. Every aspect of the social order must be subordinated to ideology and class (identity) politics.

[@Crabbadabba]

Woke culture is so niche, but yeah as is any rigid idea of something. Is that even a culture worth noting though because I’m convinced it’s made up of people with no power or who have way too much time on their hands.

[@burngrace5205]

stop spewing propaganda

[@sprengtportianpatriot6068]

I think this was a well done presentation on the evolution of Soviet attitudes towards art.

[@atilaurbancic268]

This is beyond terrible. Please stop.

[@nyemorgan3963]

very good video in my opinion, better than anything you've ever produced, if you've ever done any thing

[@Confucius_76]

Jordan Peterson sent me here

[@MacSmithVideo]

NOt ReAl sOCiaLIsM

[@Univocal]

That modern art garbage is really quite horrible.