The colours of Red October
The Revolution and art
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
The Bolsheviks regarded art as a powerful ally in the revolutionary struggle. After the October Revolution, the purpose of art was not to keep the art establishment alive, but to penetrate social reality and become fully imbued in everyday life. Artists had the opportunity of helping to shape the new society through their works. Art historians who were involved in art from an academic perspective decided on what was allowed to be classified as new art. Three questions needed to be answered: What to do with the art of the past, with the cultural legacy? What must revolutionary art achieve for the present? How can this art be canonised for the future?
(Osteuropa 6-8/2017, pp. 449–462)