Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
In the collection's first room, called “A Tale of Happiness,” you'll see syr-
upy images of what Soviet leadership imagined to be the ideal of communist
Estonia. In
Agitator Amongst the Voters
(1952), a stern portrait of Stalin in
the hazy background keeps an eye on a young hotshot articulating some ques-
tionable ideas; his listeners' reactions range from shudders of horror to smirks
of superiority.
The Young Aviators
(1951) shows an eager youngster wear-
ing a bright-red neckerchief (indicating his membership in the Pioneers, the
propaganda-laden communist versionofScouts) telling hisenraptured school-
mates stories about a model airplane.
The next room shows canvases of miners, protesters, speechifiers, metal-
workers, and more all doing their utmost for the communist society. You'll
also see paintings of industrial achievements (like bridges), party meetings,
and, of course, the great leader Stalin himself. Because mining was big in
Estonia, miners were portrayed as local heroes, marching like soldiers to their
glorious labor. Women were depicted toiling side by side with men, as equal
partners. (Though they're not always on display here, posters were a natural
fit, with slogans exhorting laborers to work hard on behalf of the regime.)
While supposedly a reflection of “real” life, Socialist Realism art was for-
mulaic and showed little creative spirit. Though some Estonian artists flirted
with social commentary and the avant-garde, a few ended up in Siberia as a
result.
