Soviet Propaganda.

"The easy worker is on the hot seat. Fear has occupied his soul: he would have looked good otherwise, but next to him is a perfect worker!" -Soviet propaganda poster

I was completely intrigued by the posters and artwork in the gallery of Soviet Propaganda. First of all, I had a hard time grasping that this movement took place so recently; that my parents and grandparents were alive while this was going on really put things in perspective. It is also made me realize how any ideology, no matter how noble its intentions, has the potential to be used to devastating effect. In theory, Communism is ideal and if such a society could exist, I would love to be a part of it. However, like many ideologies, Communism has given birth to countless sects and sub-sects and his been used to legitimize and facilitate the much less noble conquests of leaders like Lenin and Stalin.

It disturbed me that there was such a correlation between the depiction of members of the Communist party and religious icons. The gallery had multiple Soviet images presented side by side with a religious painting with an undeniable resemblance. It is understandable, albeit unsettling, that they took this approach because Lenin and Stalin wanted there cause to feel comfortable and familiar, so they used iconography that the public would be used to. It brings about the startling idea that members of the Party were trying to put themselves on par with gods and saints. The uniformity and blind obedience that Stalin and Lenin strove to create made me realize how close we really were to a third World War; if this movement had not been diffused, I'd rather not think of where we might all be today.