Reflective Essay

Before taking ERH-376WX-01, I knew very little on the subject of Soviet Art. The majority of my knowledge of Russia during the Soviet Union consisted of history classes that briefly covered the Cold War. My view was a very narrow view, I had no idea that there was so much art produced during this period in Russia, let alone how many art movements occurred. Starting with the Bolshevik Revolution up until the collapse of the Soviet Union, many different cultural movements took place through art.  But, cultural changes didn’t just exist solely in paintings. Just like society revolutionized, the art world did as well. Film, sculpture, architecture, food, and paintings were all affected throughout this new regime. The shift in the art paradigm under the Soviet Union was so considerable, it is surprising most classes in the western world don’t even cover it. That is why ERH-376WX-01 was such an interesting course. Challenging not only my perspective but those of my peers, considerably. Throughout the duration of this course, my naive understanding of art was broadened, which is what I believe is the main objective of any course. Throught the in class discussion, lectures, readings, and e-portfolio work, this class significantly changed my understanding of art and the Soviet Union as a whole.

One particular thing that changed my perspective on art as a whole was the process and thought behind art. Learning that art is not just about aesthetics was something in this course that changed how I perceive art. The way I look at famous works such as Duchamp’s “Fountain” or Jackson Pollock’s drip paintings, is completely different because of the skills and meanings behind art that I derived from this class. Sometimes I have difficulty seeing the larger picture but this class really changed the way I see works of art and deeply impacted my understanding of art. It also allowed for me to think about how I see the world and now I can look at the world through a different lens. I break down things like color, shape, form, and semantics in a different way. Throughout the course the entire class’s understanding of what “art” is, changed. We have now been exposed to a deeper definition of art.

After having no experience with using the VMI e-portfolios, I found using them very user friendly. I normally do not like using technology for my coursework, however this wasn’t the worst experience I’ve had with technology. On the e-portfolio’s our class discussion transcended to the internet for more in depth looks at the topics discussed. At first we initially examined the Soviet government and the impact that the Revolution had on the people of Russia.

Reading the book Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking by Anya Von Bremzen, gave a very interesting look into the food and its impact on society. Von Bremzen breaks down each decade of the Soviet Union, giving some anecdotes and history lessons. The book was very interesting, so much so that I bought myself a personal copy. Throughout the book Von Bremzen shows how the food made a larger commentary on what was happening in Russia under the Soviet regime. It examines the common person and how they survived food shortages and communal kitchens, which seemed very miserable. Food is seldom viewed as an art form, but through this class I have come to the conclusion that it is just as much of art as paint on canvas. Food tells a story of the people, it can be used by cultural historians to explain things about society or to examine the morale of the people. This book was very interesting and was the first of many readings that taught me more about the history and art of the Soviet Union.

The constructivism and suprematism that emerged immediately after the Bolshevik revolution during the avant-garde movement was something our class focused on heavily. The prominent rivalry that came from Malevich and Tatlin was interesting to study. The two were opposites  with their art and even allegedly got into a fist fight. Metro stations and architecture were another art form we focused on. The significance of both I undervalued until this course. I wrote e-portfolios on both subjects. The architecture of different governmental regime deeply impacts the people under said regime. Socialist Realism was another art movement which married masked harsh government criticism with history. The commentary was an obvious rebellion against the communist government.

Soviet Art History is an interesting course from which I learned a tremendous amount. Russian history is not always emphasized in American history classes, so this class provided an in depth look into the Soviet Union and its culture. Without this class I would still believe ignorant assumptions of the anti-soviet propaganda. This course was highly valuable to my understanding of art and of Russian culture.

HR: Class discussion/Notes