Raising the Banner
Sep. 11th, 2007 02:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lydamorehouseSo after picking up Mason from school today, we went to the Museum of Russian Art. They have a one man show on right now, featuring the art of Geil Korzhev. I couldn't find an on-line image of my absolute favorite picture, which was simply called "hammer and sickle," but here's the title piece of the exhibition: "raising the banner," which I also adored. The rest of his work didn't move me all that much, but I also had a young child in tow who really just wanted to play Fantastic Four.
It's really too bad that this image doesn't do the piece justice. For one, this picture is cropped. There's a lot more street, and the red of the flag is brilliant and extends well beyond what you see here. In fact, I would say that in the original it's the flag, not the man, who is the center of the picture. All of Korzhev's work is very patrotic. Apparently, he was the chair of the Moscow branch of the Union of Soviet Artists (which ironically shortens to USA) and he recently turned down a predigous award for his work from the Russian Federation because he felt accepting it would betray his allegiances to the causes of the Soviet State, of which, clearly he was a huge proponent.
If you've never been to the Museum of Russian Art, you should consider going. If nothing else to see this partcular painting up close and personally.
It's really too bad that this image doesn't do the piece justice. For one, this picture is cropped. There's a lot more street, and the red of the flag is brilliant and extends well beyond what you see here. In fact, I would say that in the original it's the flag, not the man, who is the center of the picture. All of Korzhev's work is very patrotic. Apparently, he was the chair of the Moscow branch of the Union of Soviet Artists (which ironically shortens to USA) and he recently turned down a predigous award for his work from the Russian Federation because he felt accepting it would betray his allegiances to the causes of the Soviet State, of which, clearly he was a huge proponent.
If you've never been to the Museum of Russian Art, you should consider going. If nothing else to see this partcular painting up close and personally.
