Tate Modern - Russian Revolution

 

 

 

An evasion of bold colours meets the visitor on the 5^th room (level 2) at Tate Modern. The room was curated by David King and depicts the ‘dreams and illusions’ of the Russian revolution in a selection of political posters created during the time of this revolution. The Russian Revolution took place in 1917 and the after effects continued into the 1930s, throughout this time Russia experienced change of leaders and the effects of communist political power on the country. The posters were created in a time of extreme poverty for the working class who were servants to their landowners. The visual imagery is powerful even without being able to read the Russian text, you can clearly understand its message – just as it was meant to be understood by the Russian people at this time who were largely uneducated. Dramatic poses are used to demonstrate bravery and power to encourage the people to fight for justice. At a time when hopes were low and fears were high these posters were made to strengthen the people’s spirits about their future and therefore each was careful created. The posters hang in an order that follows the movement and change in Russia between 1917 to the 1930s (when Stalin was in power.) The first wall has a variety of illustrations and colours that show its messages through humour and symbols – however facing this wall is a selection of red and black images that denote a much more serious tone (a lot colder and stronger than the first.) Furthermore red was a theme used more on this side of room, which connects to the Russian flag and other references such as the 'Red Army'. Stalin was known as the iron man and grey images reminded me of this (especially the use of collage across the poster.) When I first entered this room I was immediately drawn to the posters that cover the surface of the wall. The posters are hung close together so the audience can understand the strength of the Russian people as a whole. During the 1917 revolution they had to stand up as a group in order to make a better life. In the centre of the room it is easy to get lost with in the many posters and to understand what they must have meant for the people. I feel the message (of the revolution) conveyed wouldn’t have been as powerful if it had been placed in another layout - the posters work best together. "The ideas and illusions conveyed in these posters were far from reality" (Russian Revolutionary Posters, www.tate.org) as the lives of these people were not colourful or as these pictures depicted and lives of the people during Stalin's reign was not a happy one. In the later posters we see mostly political figures most of these feature heroic poses for Stalin and etc. however behind the scenes hundreds of people were being brutally murdered under instruction of Stalin.

 

Bibliography

Websites

Russian Revolutionary Posters, http://shop.tate.org.uk/modern-and-contemporary-art/russian-revolutionary-posters/invt/12467, (Accessed on 3/10/2013)