Toward Models of Socialist Realism

Abstract

Andris Teikmanis: Toward Models of Socialist Realism Keywords: Soviet art, Latvia, Socialist Realism, political engagement, semiotic models Summary: Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 leaving behind the necessity to interpret and analyze practices of political engagement of art, Socialist Realism theory and method and Soviet art heritage. The aim of this research was the definition and elaboration of models of engagement used by the Soviet power. These models were intended as tools that allowed interpretation and categorization of particular periods of Soviet art ensuring political neutrality of these interpretations. These conditions determined the use of modes of interaction between political textual discourses and visual discourses of images rather than the content of politically engaged pictures as foundation of projected models. This allowed not only to interpret particular aspects of the Socialist Realism and categorize particular aspects of Latvia Soviet art periods, but also to declare some broader considerations about relations between art and politics. CV: Andris Teikmanis is associated professor and Vice-Rector of Art Academy of Latvia. Teikmanis defended his doctoral thesis „Semiotic of Relations between Art and Politics. Interaction between Visual and Verbal Messages in Latvian Soviet Period Painting” in 2010.