Fade to Black: The Composition of Shadow
Tuesday, October 7th, 2008 through Thursday, February 26th, 2009
This exhibition explores themes of darkness, nighttime and shadows during the Socialist Realist period of Russian art. In the official art of Socialist Realism, 'light' was a universal metaphor for Soviet life that promised a radiant future to the people. Soviet artists were expected to produce artwork that was infused with energy and sunlight fit for exposure at state-supported and censored exhibitions. Featuring works by various Soviet artists, Fade to Black: The Composition of Shadow highlights the complexities and multi-faceted aspects of Russian art and examines how artists of the period explored another side of art after hours. These scenes, lacking an identifiable source of light, display an experimental desire of Soviet artists that was never completely suppressed.