Russian Revolutionary Festivals: The Making of a New Time

1. Russian Revolutionary Festivals: The Making of a New Time Mark D. Steinberg “365 Revolutionary Days” Building panel for the festival of the first anniversary of the October revolution, 7 November 1918

2. “The anniversary of the October Revolution became the first day of a new era”- Semen Rodov, a young Proletkult (Proletarian Culture movement) writer Procession of workers, Petrograd, 7 November 1918 K. Petrov-Vodkin design for Theater Square, Petrograd, 7 November 1918

3. “The anniversary of the October Revolution became the first day of a new era”- Semen Rodov, a young Proletkult (Proletarian Culture movement) writer Mars Field illumination, Petrograd, 7 November 1918 V. and A. Vesnin, design for Trinity Tower entrance to Moscow Kremlin, 7 November 1918

4. “The anniversary of the October Revolution became the first day of a new era”- Semen Rodov, a young Proletkult (Proletarian Culture movement) writer

5. Designs for First Anniversary of October Revolution, 7 November 1918 Proletkult design for Smolny institute facade, Petrograd Nikolai Tyrsa street decoration, Petrograd

6. Andrei Rublev, Christ in Glory, (1410-1415) Folk icon (around 1900)

7. Kuz’ma Petrov-Vodkin, “Bathing of the Red Horse,” 1912 Kazimir Malevich, Red Square, 1915

8. Nikolai Tyrsa panel designs for street decorations, 1918

9. Proletcult designed flag for Smolny Mstislav Dobuzhinsky, design for the Admiralty, Petrograd Engraving of Smolny institute (Bolshevik headquarters in Petrograd 1917)

10. Natan Altman, Designs for Uritsky (formerly Palace) Square for first anniversary celebrations, 1918 “I did not seek harmony with the old but contrast with it.” – Natan Altman

11. Alexander Column, November 1918

12. Arch at entry to Smolny (slogan in light bulbs) “Soviet Constitution” Obelisk, Moscow “Triumph of Labor” Arch (Liteinyi St.)

13. Banner at first anniversary procession, 7 November 1918 May Day 1921 poster Banners at funeral for fallen in February revolution, 1917

14. Sergei Gerasimov, “Lord of the Earth” Panel for city Duma building, Moscow 1918

15. Boris Kustodiev, “Labor” (Petrograd, 1918, for first anniversary) Traditional khorugvi

16. Wall decorations by unknown artists, first anniversary, Petrograd

17. Sketches for building panels for 1918 anniversary in Petrograd

18. Sergei Konënkov, “To Those Who Fell in the Struggle for Peace and the Brotherhood of Peoples” – unveiled 7 November 1918, Moscow Kremlin

19. …Come down from the cross, crucified people And be transformed . . . Roar, land, with the final storm, Gather for battle, for the feast, Let a new day shine in the azure, The old world transfigured. -- from Mikhail Gerasimov, Sergei Esenin, and Sergei Klychkov, “Kantata” (1918)

20. 1. Saviors: titans, gods, and messiahs “To the Sorrow of All the Bourgeois We will Fan a World Conflagration,” 1918 “The Lord of the World will be Labor: Three Years of Proletarian Dictatorship,” 1920 Ignaty Nivinsky, “Red Lightning,” 1919

21. from Vladimir Kirillov, “Iron Messiah” (1918) There he is—savior, master of the earth, Multi-faced and insurgent. He strides across the abyss of the seas. Made of steel, undeviating and aspiring, He scatters sparks of rebellious ideas, And spews cleansing flames. Wherever his powerful shout rings forth, The depths of the earth reveal themselves, Mountains give way in an instant before him, The world's poles draw closer.… A new sun he brings to the world… He erases boundaries and borders. With his crimson banner—symbol of struggle We will crush the yoke of fate, And capture enchanting paradise. Boris Kustodiev, “The Bolshevik,” 1920

22. “Let the ruling classes shudder before the communist revolution” (Poster for fifth anniversary of the revolution, 1922) Gustav Klutsis, “Electrification of the Whole Country,” 1920

23. “To World October”

24. Gustav Klutsis, “Long Live our Happy Socialist Motherland,” 1935

25. 2. Wings Banner for Mars Field, Petrograd 1918: “Glory” in flight Konënkov, “To Those Who Fell in the Struggle…” 7 November 1918, Moscow Kremlin Wall decoration, first anniversary, Petrograd

26. Design for Trinity Tower entrance to Moscow Kremlin, 7 November 1918

27. “Literacy: the Path to Communism” (1920 poster)

28. 3. The solar myth of the revolution “From Ruination to Creation” Panel design by E. R. Eberling for anniversary celebrations, Petrograd 1918

29. Typical solar-mythic imagery (“cosmism” “astronomic hyperbole”): The “sun of the new Lord” The “sun of universal love” The “Sun of Eternity” “A universal dawn” “A new sun” “Becoming the sun” Alexander Apsit, “One Year of Proletarian Dictatorship” (1918)

30. I. Simakov, “Long Live the Sun! (Let the Darkness Hide Itself!)” (1921)

31. Konstantin Yuon, “The New Planet,” 1921

32. 4. Apocalypse Wall decoration by unknown artist, Petrograd, 1918: “Revolutionary procession”

33. “Mystery Bouffe” 7-9 November 1918 Text: Mayakovsky Staging: Meyerhold Set: Malevich Mayakovsky in photo montage by Rodchenko, 1926

34. V. Mayakovsky, design for “Mystery Bouffe,” 1918: “The Promised Land”(обетованная страна)

35. Lenin’s “Monumental propaganda,” 1918 (inspired by Campanella’s La città del Sole (1602)) Marx Blanqui Heine Danton

36. HELP (1921 famine poster)

37. Lenin and Stalin, 1922 (Lenin is recovering from a stroke)

38. Vladimir Mother of God, 12th century Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin, “Petrograd, 1918” (1920)

40. Mstislav Dobuzhinsky, “The Kiss,” 1916

41. Ivan Shadr, “Monument to the World’s Suffering” 1915-16/1918

43. Vladimir Tatlin, “Monument to the Third International,” 1919-20 (Planned for third anniversary of the October revolution, Petrograd)

44. Easter 1917 Poster (March) “Christ is risen” (traditional Easter greeting) “Long live the republic!”

45. “The Dead of the PARIS COMMUNE have been Resurrected Under the Red Banner of the Soviets,” 1921

46. Soviet postage stamp, 1921