Sots Art
Encyclopedia
Often referred to as “Soviet Pop Art”, Sots Art (short for Socialist Art) originated in the Soviet Union
in the early 1970s as a reaction against the official aesthetic doctrine of the state—"Socialist Realism
". Socialist Realism was marked by reverential depictions of workers, peasants living happily in their communes, and a young, fit Stalin.
Vitaly Komar
and Alexander Melamid
, inventors of the term “Sots Art”, worked in advertising and were frequently employed to use Socialist Realist aesthetics in their ads and brochures.
In the winter of 1972, Komar and Melamid were putting together a design for the Young Pioneers
' upcoming summer camp
session.
While putting together the signs, which were supposed to convey the strong ideological piety
of the Pioneers, Komar and Melamid entertained themselves by using the Socialist Realism tropes they were employing but filling in the content with people they knew, such as their wives and even themselves.
Komar and Melamid
continued tweaking well-known Soviet symbols and icons, often replacing Lenin and Stalin’s portraits with their own, and signing famous Soviet slogans and catch-phrases with their own autographs.
According to Arthur Danto
, Sots Art's attack on official styles is similar in intent to American pop art
and German capitalist realism
.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in the early 1970s as a reaction against the official aesthetic doctrine of the state—"Socialist Realism
Socialist realism
Socialist realism is a style of realistic art which was developed in the Soviet Union and became a dominant style in other communist countries. Socialist realism is a teleologically-oriented style having its purpose the furtherance of the goals of socialism and communism...
". Socialist Realism was marked by reverential depictions of workers, peasants living happily in their communes, and a young, fit Stalin.
Vitaly Komar
Vitaly Komar
Vitaly Komar is a Russian painter and performance artist who was born in Moscow in 1943. He attended an art school in Moscow from 1958 to 1960, after which he studied and graduated from the Moscow High School of Industry. He began cooperating with Alexander Melamid in 1973 and collaborated with him...
and Alexander Melamid
Alexander Melamid
Alexander Melamid is a Russian painter and performance artist who emigrated to New York City from the Soviet Union in 1977 with Vitaly Komar. He was born in Moscow and attended the Stroganov Art Institute, where he collaborated with Komar in the Russian SOTS ART movement...
, inventors of the term “Sots Art”, worked in advertising and were frequently employed to use Socialist Realist aesthetics in their ads and brochures.
In the winter of 1972, Komar and Melamid were putting together a design for the Young Pioneers
Young Pioneer organization of the Soviet Union
The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union, also Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union, also Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union, also Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer...
' upcoming summer camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
session.
While putting together the signs, which were supposed to convey the strong ideological piety
Piety
In spiritual terminology, piety is a virtue that can mean religious devotion, spirituality, or a combination of both. A common element in most conceptions of piety is humility.- Etymology :...
of the Pioneers, Komar and Melamid entertained themselves by using the Socialist Realism tropes they were employing but filling in the content with people they knew, such as their wives and even themselves.
Komar and Melamid
Komar and Melamid
Komar and Melamid is an artistic team made up of Russian-born American graphic artists Vitaly Komar and Alexander Melamid . In an artists’ statement they said that “Even if only one of us creates some of the projects and works, we usually sign them together...
continued tweaking well-known Soviet symbols and icons, often replacing Lenin and Stalin’s portraits with their own, and signing famous Soviet slogans and catch-phrases with their own autographs.
According to Arthur Danto
Arthur Danto
Arthur Coleman Danto Arthur Coleman Danto Arthur Coleman Danto (born January 1, 1924 is an American art critic, and professor of philosophy. He is best known as the influential, long-time art critic for The Nation and for his work in philosophical aesthetics and philosophy of history, though he...
, Sots Art's attack on official styles is similar in intent to American pop art
Pop art
Pop art is an art movement that emerged in the mid 1950s in Britain and in the late 1950s in the United States. Pop art challenged tradition by asserting that an artist's use of the mass-produced visual commodities of popular culture is contiguous with the perspective of fine art...
and German capitalist realism
Capitalist realism
Capitalist realism was a German art movement of the early 1960s.The phrase first appeared in the title of the 1963 art exhibition in Düsseldorf, Demonstration for Capitalist Realism, featuring the work of Gerhard Richter, Sigmar Polke, Wolf Vostell and Konrad Lueg.Capitalist realism can also be...
.