Chicago Exhibitions Revisit Soviet Art on October Revolution Centennial
To commemorate the centenary of the October Revolution, two exhibitions were held in Chicago. 'Revoliutsiia! Demonstratsiia! Soviet Art Put to the Test' took place at the Art Institute of Chicago from October 29, 2017, to January 14, 2018. Curated by Matthew S. Witkovsky, it showcased approximately 550 pieces, featuring artists like El Lissitzky and Aleksandr Rodchenko, along with reconstructions of Rodchenko's Workers' Club and Lissitzky's Room for Constructive Art. Simultaneously, the Smart Museum of Art hosted 'Revolution Every Day' from September 14, 2017, to January 28, 2018, co-curated by Christina Kiaer and others, highlighting women's contributions to socialist life. Both exhibitions provided unique perspectives on the Soviet period, showcasing diverse artistic expressions.
Key facts
- Two exhibitions in Chicago commemorated the 100th anniversary of the October Revolution.
- 'Revoliutsiia! Demonstratsiia!' at the Art Institute of Chicago featured approximately 550 objects from October 29, 2017 to January 14, 2018.
- Matthew S. Witkovsky curated the Art Institute show, organizing it thematically rather than chronologically.
- Key artists included El Lissitzky, Aleksandr Rodchenko, Liubov' Popova, Varvara Stepanova, and Gustav Klutsis.
- Reconstructions of Rodchenko's Workers' Club and Lissitzky's Room for Constructive Art were displayed.
- 'Revolution Every Day' at the Smart Museum of Art ran from September 14, 2017 to January 28, 2018, focusing on women's roles.
- Co-curators included Christina Kiaer, Robert Bird, Zachary Cahill, and Diane Miliotes.
- Contemporary artists like Cauleen Smith contributed new works, with Smith's 'Three Songs about Liberation' commissioned for the exhibition.
Entities
Artists
- Susan Snodgrass
- El Lissitzky
- Matthew S. Witkovsky
- Devin Fore
- Kathleen Tahk
- Aleksandr Rodchenko
- Liubov' Popova
- Varvara Stepanova
- Alexandra Exter
- Karl Ioganson
- Gustav Klutsis
- Kazimir Malevich
- Victor Margolin
- Barbara Wurm
- Vladimir Mayakovsky
- Natal'ia Dan'ko
- Christina Kiaer
- Robert Bird
- Zachary Cahill
- Diane Miliotes
- Dziga Vertov
- Elizaveta Svilova
- Marina Raskova
- Mariia Bri-Bein
- Valentina Kulagina
- Nataliia Pinus
- Lene Berg
- Olga Chernysheva
- Anri Sala
- Cauleen Smith
- Viktor Misiano
- Fernand Crommelynck
- Vsevolod Meyerhold
- Susie King Taylor
- Jane Johnson
- Luanna Cooper
- Kseniia Ender
Institutions
- ARTMargins Online
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Smart Museum of Art
- Yale University Press
- University of Chicago Press
- Northwestern University
- The University of Chicago
- Richard and Mary L. Gray Center for Arts and Inquiry
- Mousse Publishing
- Ne boltai! Collection
- State Free Art Workshops (SVOMAS)
- UNOVIS
- Institute for Artistic Culture (INKhUK)
- VKhUTEMAS
- Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels
- USSR in Construction
- Corbett vs. Dempsey
- Diehl, Berlin
- Pace, London
- Foxy Production, New York
Locations
- Chicago
- United States
- Europe
- Russia
- Soviet Union
- New Haven
- London
- Vitebsk
- Dresden
- Paris
- Moscow
- Albania
- Switzerland