«Выставка современного искусства Советской России» (1929): между идеологией и рынком

Искусствознание. 2025. № 1. С. 250–281.

Lavrova S.

In the latter half of the 1920s, art exhibitions emerged as a critical instrument of Soviet cultural diplomacy, particularly in the context of the nascent and still unestablished diplomatic relations with the United States. The 1929 "Exhibition of Contemporary Art of Soviet Russia" marked the first major effort to present Soviet art to the American public. This paper explores the exhibition within the framework of Soviet-American artistic relations, with particular emphasis on the political and economic challenges that shaped cultural exchange. The analysis highlights internal disputes among early Soviet institutions and the absence of a cohesive strategy, which played a decisive role in the organization of the exhibition and its reception abroad.  

Keywords: советское искусство, Soviet art, Soviet cultural diplomacy, советская культурная дипломатия, VOKS, ВОКС, советские выставки в США, Soviet art exhibitions

Publication based on the results of: History and typology of communication in social, political and visual culture: global trends and Russian experience (2025)