Design History: "Worker and Kolkhoz Woman"

Content:

• Creation
• Idea
• Influence

In the section "History of One Design" we discuss outstanding design products, explore the reasons for their appearance, analyze their meaning and influence on the evolution of visual Culture.

The monument "Worker and Kolkhoz Woman" occupies one of three key places among Soviet monuments, along with such works as "Motherland" and "Soldier-Liberator". The creators of this work of art sought to convey the idea of ​​​​a new man, raised in the spirit of communist ideals, through two dynamic figures captured in the moment of action.

Creation

The creation of the composition "Worker and Kolkhoz Woman" was timed to coincide with the World Exhibition of Arts and Technology, held in Paris in 1937. In the context of the wariness of the international community towards the Soviet Union, the authorities set themselves the goal of presenting the country in the most attractive and impressive light.

The monument was a key element in terms of both the idea and composition of the Soviet pavilion. This 25-meter sculpture was placed on a 34-meter base, exactly opposite the German pavilion, where the fascist eagle was located on the roof.

Monument "Worker "The Kolkhoz Woman" was the result of a collaboration between two creative minds. Boris Iofan, a Soviet architect known for his designs of Stalin's skyscrapers, developed the concept and sketched the monument. Sculptor Vera Mukhina, in turn, gave it tangible form, transforming the idea into a work of art.

Iofan drew inspiration from two historical models. Firstly, the famous ancient Greek statue "Tyranslayers," which depicts Harmodius and Aristogeiton standing back to back, one foot forward, and the other holding a sword. Another classical image that influenced his creative concept is the Nike of Samothrace, a marble sculpture from ancient Greece that seems to rush forward, radiating dynamism and movement.

Idea

The monument consists of a sculptural composition including two figures - a man and a woman, who, closely pressed against each other, raise a hammer and sickle above their heads. Conceptually, these figures represent two key social groups that contributed to the Bolsheviks' rise to power: the peasants and the working class.

The image of the collective farm woman was based on an 18-year-old Komsomol member, while a ballet dancer was used to depict the male figure. The sculptures were originally presented nude, but the committee responsible for approving the monument decided they should be clothed. As a result, Vera Mukhina added overalls to the worker and a sarafan to the peasant woman, and adorned the composition with a decorative scarf. This element plays a key role in the sculpture's design: by linking the figures, the scarf not only creates harmony but also balances the vertical lines, adding horizontal accents to the statue.

The sculpture, in the form of an isosceles triangle, creates a sense of movement: mounted on a massive pedestal, "Worker and Kolkhoz Woman" seem to reach upward, as if floating in the air. The monument was created not from the usual bronze or copper, but from lightweight sheets of stainless chrome-nickel steel, which effectively reflects light.

The monument became a symbolic statement to the entire world: the new communist state was founded on the unification of the working and peasant classes. It was shaping them into heroes of a new era, confidently moving towards the ideals of equality and happiness.

Influence

A total of 270 awards were presented at the Soviet exhibition, including 95 Grand Prix, 70 gold medals, 40 silver medals, six bronze medals, and over fifty diplomas. This remarkable success, demonstrated in Paris, prompted the authorities to pay more serious attention to the sculpture created especially for the pavilion. As a result, in 1939, the monument was erected at the entrance to VDNKh. In 1948, the Worker and Kolkhoz Woman statue was recognized as the official symbol of the Mosfilm studio. In addition, a series of postage stamps and collectible coins with the image of this famous sculpture were repeatedly issued.

In the advertising campaign of Java Gold cigarettes, Posters depicting the famous Worker and Kolkhoz Woman holding a pack of cigarettes instead of the traditional hammer and sickle. The Monolith clothing factory decided to use this image as its logo. The Lianozovsky Distillery also began to print it on its labels.

The "Worker and Kolkhoz Woman" monument has become a symbol that sets a new trend, which emphasizes the presentation of people with simple professions as heroes of their time. In 1954, a sculpture depicting two people raising a sheaf of grain above their heads was installed on the arch of the main entrance to VDNKh. This work, created by sculptor Sergei Orlov and titled "Tractor Driver and Kolkhoz Woman," clearly references the famous monument "Worker and Kolkhoz Woman."

With the emergence of the cult status of the sculpture, its images began to be actively used in design as a symbol of the Soviet era and its ideology. They find their place on various items, such as dishes, clothing and posters, and are also used in printing, figurines and even coasters are created.

A popular image has been appropriated by kitsch. A striking example of this is the work of the famous social artist Alexander Kosolapov, who created the sculpture "Worker and Kolkhoz Woman," in which the heads of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse serve as an accent on the "pop" character of this monument.