Socialist Realist Statues as Utopian Objects in East Berlin

Gregory Gan's article in ARTMargins (Vol. 15, Issue 2, pp. 46-68) examines Socialist Realist statues in former East Berlin neighborhoods as enduring art objects that outlived state socialism after German reunification. Following WWII, East German urban planning initially followed Soviet Socialist Realist doctrine, but the style persisted in the GDR even after the USSR softened its stance, shaping a unique architectural identity. Gan investigates these statues as creations from the GDR's effort to forge its own socialist identity. Using Ruth Levitas' concept of 'utopia as method' and Tim Ingold's 'temporal landscape,' the author argues that these monuments can generate alternative ideas about society and identify avenues for change in Berlin's contemporary landscape. The article is available at MIT Press (doi:10.1162/ARTM.a.375).