Decorations and .E2.80.9Cstage.E2.80.9D designs Revolutionary Mass Festivals

the first festival take place on may day 1918. in moscow, constructivist architects alexander , viktor vesnin designed decorations it. in petrograd, decorations first may day parade commissioned avant-garde artists, commonly referred futurists. @ moment, potential of abstract art bring re-education of masses considered disputable. lunacharsky noted in hist diary:

of course absolutely posters criticized. after all, easy criticize futurists . in essence remains of real cubism , futurism here precision , force of general form , brightness of colour essential paintings intended open air , giant audience hundreds of thousands of heads.

palace square (formerly uritsky square), saint petersburg



natan altman s decorations of uritsky square first anniversary of russian revolution

the petersburg celebrations of first anniversary of revolution in 1918 larger may day celebrations. involved numerous architects , artists in 85 separate projects across city. prominent of these projects decorations palace square, called uritsky square, cubist painter natan altman. in designs contrasted neoclassical architectural ensemble of square abstract constructions intended represent political new order. conflict between new , old thereby visualized , allowed spectator physically experience within city space. altman art gains meaning structurally, through collective interaction only. constitutive feature of proletarian art, accounts political relevance of decorations. however, approach not allow obligatory political content of art, attacked majority of later soviet criticism of avant-garde.

later celebrations, nikolai evreinov s storming of winter palace of 1920, put stronger emphasis on actual acting rather on decorations. last extensive project of decorations planned celebrations commemorating third international in 1921 constructivists alexander vesnin , liubov popova. supposed large-scale open air installation consisting of model of “fortress of capitalism” , “communist future city,” connected ties , banners held airships. envisioned site installation khodinka field in northern moscow. site meant serve stage historical mass spectacle restaging struggle of proletarian revolution. however, vesnin s , popova s plans not realized indicative of underlying conflict between avant-garde aesthetics , marxist ideology.

alexander vesnin/liubov popova: design mass spectacle in honor of third comintern congress