Exhibit on Early Soviet Photography Examines Creative Change

Shaikhet_Express_F11_PowerOfPictures

Arkady Shaikhet. Express, 1939. Gelatin silver print. Nailya Alexander Gallery, New York. Artwork © Estate of Arkady Shaikhet, courtesy of Nailya Alexander Gallery

Image used with permission from the Frist Center.

On February 7th, an exhibit portraying a curation of early Soviet photography will leave the Jewish Museum here in New York and then make its way to the Frist Center for Visual Arts in Nashville, TN. The exhibit, called “The Power of Pictures: Early Soviet Photography, Early Soviet Film” features images created during the time of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution through the 1930s. It not only features photographs though, there are also 12 feature length films, periodicals, and even those really cool and interesting Russian cameras.

The content ultimately examines how photography/motion picture art was used to disseminate Communist ideology, but also “how the compelling, message-laced work from this period energized and expanded the potential of photography and film.” according to the description. For anyone that has studied history, you’re probably aware that Hitler did the same thing–as did America during the war efforts in WWII. Later on, photography would be used to stop wars.

Photographers featured include:

  • Boris lgnatovich
  • Elizaveta lgnatovich
  • Olga lgnatovich
  • Yakov Khalip
  • Eleazar Langman
  • El Lissitzky
  • Moisei Nappelbaum
  • Max Penson
  • Georgy Petrusov
  • Alexander Rodchenko
  • Arkady Shaikhet
  • Georgy Zelma
  • Georgy Zimin

Below are some images from the exhibit. If you’re in NYC, go check it out before it leaves. If you’re in Nashville, make an effort to go take a look.

Shaikhet_Assembling the Globe_F33_PowerOfPictures

Arkady Shaikhet. Assembling the Globe at Moscow Telegraph Central Station, 1928. Gelatin silver print. Collection of Alex Lachmann. Artwork © Estate of Arkady Shaikhet, courtesy of Nailya Alexander Gallery

Rodchenko_Sports Parade on Red Square_F087_PowerOfPictures

Alexander Rodchenko, Sports Parade on Red Square, 1936. Gelatin silver print, 11 5/8 × 8 7/8 in. (29.6 × 22.6 cm). Sepherot Foundation, Vaduz, Liechtenstein.

Khalip_On Guard_F076_PowerOfPictures

Yakov Khalip. On Guard, 1938. Gelatin silver print. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by the Caroline Wiess Law Accessions Endowment Fund, The Manfred Heiting Collection. Artwork used with permission by Nicolay Khalip. Image provided by Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Chris Gampat