The Total Art of Stalinism: Avant-Garde, Aesthetic Dictatorship, and Beyond

129 Pages·1992·1.3 MB·English

by  Boris Groys

TheT otal
Arto fS talinism
AVANT-GARDEA,E STHETIC
DICTATORSHIPA,N D BEYOND
by
BorGirsa ys
TranslatCehda rblyRe osu gle
PRINCETON UNIVERSITYP RESS
PRINCETON,N EW JERSEY
ThTeo tAarlot fS talinism
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© 1988C aHraln ser
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byC harRloeusg le.
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TransolfGa:et siaomnt kuSntsatlwienr.k
1.S ociraelaiilsanit rs tm- SUonviioent.
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anmde etthg eu idfeolprie nremsa anneddnu crea obfti hlei ty
CommiotnPt reoed uctiofnoB roG ouLkio dnegloeiftvn hieets y
CounocnLi ilb rRaersyo urces
Priintnth eUedn iStteadot fAe mse rica
1 3 7 59 108 6 4 2
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
ThCeu ltouftr heSe t aElriiannH istorical
Perspective 3
CHAPTER ONE
TheR ussAivaann t-GTahreLd eeao:pv er
Progress 14
WhiHtuem ainty 15
ReAdg tiation 19
CHAPTETRw o
TheS talAirnotifL s itv ing 33
JudgmDeanfytor W orCludl ture 37
ThTey polooftg hNyeo nexistent 50
ThEea rthly Ionftc haDerem niaguteri on 56
CHAPTETRH REE
PostutAorptFi:ra onMm y tthoM ythology 75
ThLeo sHto rizon 81
ThAev ant-AGratraidstse ht "e L iMtatnle" 84
StalBienPs'utsp ils 89
PoeatnM di laimtain 95
AC ruTealle nt 99
Chriocnloeftr hK er emlin 102
CHAPTEFRO UR
Desigonfte hrUesn consacniTdoh uesi r
Audience 131
Notes 121
Introduction
THEC ULTUROEF T HES TALIENR A
INH ISTORICPAELR SPECTIVE
THEWO RLDp romibsyte hdle e adoeftr hsOe c toRbeevro lu­
tiowna sn omte resluyp potsobe eda m orjeu osntoe r o ne
thawto ulpdr ovgirdeeae tceorn osmeiccu bruiittt y ,aw lasso
andi np erheavpesgn r eamteears mueraen ttob eb eautiful.
Thuen ordecrheadol,ti iofcfpe a satg ewsa tso b er epclebady
al itfhea t hwaarsm onainoodur sg anaiczceodr tdoai u nngi ­
tarayr tipsaltnWi.hc e tnh een teicroen osmoiccia,an eldv, e ­
rydlaiyof fet hnea tiwoanst otaslulbyo artdeitdnoa s ingle
plainnnagu thocroimtmyi sstioro engeudlh aatrem,o nainzde ,
creaas tien wghloeol ueot fe vetnhm eo smti nudteet atihliss,
autihtoyr-tChoem munpiasrtt lye adiepr-swhatsr ans­
formiendta ok inodfa rtwihsotsm ea terwiaastl he en tire
worladn dw hosgeo awla st o" overctohrmeee s istoafn ce"
this maantmdea rkiieat l plmiaalnltec,aa bplaeob,fal ses um­
inagn dye seidfr orm.
Int hbee ginonfhi inDsgi scoounMr esteh Doeds calrat­es
mentthsah tei tso woe atko orgraantiizotenh ael ollftyi h fee
entire counats riyn cgoilrtea y ne,dtv heafintr shtem ust
ordero whnti hso u.gT1hht esM arxniostti ooftn h seu per­
strucotfcu oruer,s e, pthrieom cpslosaiitmbyosi fc l hianging
thset aotfoe n eo'wsnt houwgihtth cohuatn ignte hsse o cial
basteh adte tertmhitinhseo ugthhtai,tst ,h tey poefs ocial
organiiznaw thiioctnhht e h inlkievTreo ts h.re e volutionary
Marxiisntd,i vitdhueatilhrso ,u gahntd", i nnweorr" l din
genearramele relyo ftp hamera tt etrhiaiattslo b eo rdered­
newr atitohnoaulcg ahontn ly oaurotif as n ee wr ational
ordoeflr i iftes Beulttfh .ve e rayco tfc reatthien gwn oerwl d
isc onsequiernrtaltayin opdnu arlea lryt iTshteci rce.a otfo rs
4 INTRODUCTION
thinesw w orladf,ta elrcl a,n ncolta ciomm plreattei onality
fotrh epirro jseicnttc,he et yh emsweelrvseehp sae idn r eaa l­
ittyh awta sn oyte hta rmonAilotluh sad.ti stintghuei shes
artist-rtuhlceer ro wfdor roodmfi nmaorryti asl st he knowl­
edgteh atth e wioser llads atnidtc h atth ereefvoerrey thing
thattot haev erpaegres soene smtsa abnldie m mutaibsl ei n
realrietlyaa tnidsv ueb jecchta ntIgote t.io tspa olw er over
socitehtasyth ietlhcders e aotfto hre lnieffwre o amlp lo ssi­
blcer ciitsiSmi.nc crei tics oacp caurptyip coousnlilaityrni on
socitehtedyyo,n ot htahoveve ae rrc hviineogwf t hweh ole
that onlcya pnpr oowveiTrdh eec.ir ri titchiesrmec,fa onr e,
onlayr ifsreo rme mnaonftt sho el sdo coiradle r in their
thouogrhf tr oomn e-sviideewds inocfga rpaasbptlihene g
artistiocf t whnehe owlw eo r.lH derteh e ppeecrtsoifv e
power aaensdt hdeitsitcac nocien cIifad,seN .i etzassc­he
sumetdh,we o rlads icta onni lsb yej sutdi afieesthetically,
theint e viesmn o rter uteh oantl syu cajh uisfiatctiiopsno ssi­
blfeo trh beu ilodfian n egww orld.
Simialeasrt hreetoircg aniozfsa otciihoeantvbsyee epnr o­
posaended v etnr imeodrt eh aonn cient hWee sbtu,it wt a s in
Russailaot nheas tu ch a wparsfio rjcseotcm tp lestueclcye ss­
fulE.a crhe voluitnti hoenW eswta si no new ayo r
anotshueccre edbeycd o unterreevnodliiunnttg hi eeos nt ab­
lishmoefan not r dtehrai tn hertihtee do ltdh oeuvigiethnn ­
cludeelde meonftt hnsee wR.e voluitni Wotenhs ect o uld not
be raasd iacsia nlt hEea sbte,c ause rWeevsotleurtni onary
ideolwoagsty o aow aroefi tdse btt rtaod ittoihooe na,v ily
reloinep dr eviinotuesl lseocctpiuoaallli,,t icala,n dt echnical,
othaecrh ievetmoehoni tgshv,la yl utehcdei rcumstances that
generiatt eiadnn dw hiwitac sh afirrtsitc uFloatrth reiedsa. ­
sonn,oW esteurpnh eacvoaulel qdu tahlRe u ssRieavno lu­
toin'mse rcidleesstsr uocftt hipeoa nsR te.v olutiidoenoalr­y
ogwya si mporitnetRdou ssfiraot mh Wee satn hda ndo r eal
Russrioaonot fis t osw nR.e lattoit vhdeee veloped countries,
inf actth,Re u sstiraand iwtaisao snsa otcewidi tbhac kward­
nesasnh du mitliioeanv,o kdiinsgg ruasttth hearcn o mpassion
amontghm ea jroiotfty hien telliagnedan,sbt esciaacm,le e ar
int hceo urosfte hR ee voluatmioontngh,p e e opalswe e ll.
THE CULTUREO F THES TALINE RA 5
Ase aralsPy e terre'fsoi rntm hsee a reliyg htceeennttuhr y,
thReu sspieaonps lheo wheodwr eaadnyrd e latwiivlelliyn g
thweey rteoa bantdhoensi ere midnegelpy- rtoroatdeiidnt ion
favoofWr e stienrnn ovaittfih oepnsrseo mirsaeppdir do g­
resBse.c aiutws aes a ssocwiiattbhea dc kwaradnndae ss
feeloifin ngf ertihopirusir taeyel,sy t dhiesttifacots rht oeel d
accountthsfe a tcfhtoRa rut s wsaimsao rree cetphtaitnvh ee
Wesitt steonl efw artisstiinbccya e s fsoirmmisl,a ting them
rapitdhRleuy s siinatne llciogueclnodtm spieanf soiartit sne ­
fericoormiptlayen xdr egatrhWdee satsc ultubraaclkl­y
warBde.c aiuttso eop kl aicnaet echnolaongcdiu clatlulrya lly
backwcaorudn tthrReyu ,s sRieavno lwuatosif otnve ine wed
frorma tioMnaarlxipisostst i atsiap o anrsa Rduosxs.hi oaw,­
evewra,as e stheftabirec taptlreleryp faorrree dv oltuhtaino n
thWee stth;ia sti,w t a fsa mro rwei lltioon rgg aanlillzii efn e
newa,sy eutn sefeonr amnstd,o t heantid at l loiwtestdeo l f
bes ubjetcoat nae rdt iesxtpiecro ifum nepnrte cesdceanltee.d
Althotuhgerhye maiunnerde atlhifiezr espdtr, o joefc ts
theixsp eridmreanwutnpb yt hper actiatnitdoh neeorrse ti­
ciaonfts h Reu ssaivaann t-ngoawer ndjeaofi yr melsyt ab­
lisphoesdi itnai rohtni staonrhdya veev okuendi vearnsda l
deserved faodtrmh ierdiaartr iironangd icTarluitesh,me .
Russaivaann t-igssa trlidiletls t tlued bieegdi:n innti hneg
1930s omfwu hcaihtct r eawtaedsde straonydle,id b,e raliza­
tionnost withsetvaetnnod diiantywgs o, r akrsne o rte adily
accesesiitbthlotee hrp e u bolris cp eciEaslpiesctiisnra. el ­ly
cenyte aarnsad b oavletl h rotuhgeehf foorfWt ess treer­n
searchhoewresvt,eha rev, a nt-hgabaser cdoeamu en iversally
recogsnuibzjeoedfsc etr iroeusse aSrocchi.rae laialsritts ,t
thiastt, ha er tt hoSeft aelritanh s autc cetehadeve adn t-garde
int h1e9 3h0asts,h ufsam re atd ifffeartTeehn.set l oogfa n
"sociraelailhsiatsbs me "er ne gabrydi endd epehnidsetnotr i­
ograpbhoytw hi thtihnSe o viUenti oann de lsewahse re
merealb yu gabuosoeb dyt hcee nsotrosp heirps eacnudt e
dest"rgoeyn auriatnn"ei d t csr eaVtioerwsfe.rd ot mh piesr ­
spectthieevn et,Si traepl eirnii oso ndle o nmga rtyrology or
histoofpr eyr secwuhtiiicothin nsd,e uendd oubtedly was.
Three iasls huoewse,va erirent, h nea moefw haatlt lhp iesr -
6 INTRODUCTION
secuttoiopokln a acnewd,h asto orfta rwta csa nonainzde d
whyS.t raansigm tea ys eeamtfi rgslta ntcheeq,su ee stions are
famro rdei ffitcoau nlstw tehrai nnt hcea soeft hcel assical
Russaivaann t-garde.
Int hSeo vUineitto ond tahyae,r otft hSet apleirnii osd
officnioal leltsyas b tohoat nha er otft haev ant-Mgoasrtd e.
oft hnee wspabpoeorkassn,,jd o uronfat lhtsei maeri en
"speacricahli ivneasc"c etsots hioebr ldei nraersye archer;
picthuarneagsl ongtshioodsfete h Reu ssaivaann t-igna rde
thlei keiwniascec esstsoirbelroeoft o hmmeus s euMmasn.y
oft hehma vbee erne paibnytt heeadiu rt htoodr esl Settael in
anodt hceorm prolmeiasdoeefdtr htsei mNeu.m ersocuusl p­
turferse,s mcooseasai,nc bdsu ,i ldwienrsgeis m dpelsyt royed
int hper ocoefds es- StaliCnoimzpaltitichoasenti .it nuga tion
inc ompartiots hooanftt haev ant-hgoawredvietes,hr ta,ht e
doctorfsi oncei raelailrsietsm maa ison fsfi cainoadbl l igatory
foarl Slo vaireattse vearn,hd a rse taailntleh fdeo rmulas
datifnrgot mh Set ayleianTr hse.fs oer muhloawse,va erre,
intermporre"etl eidb etroadlsaliyyn,t"c h eec yab nem adteo
accommoadrattipesh teinco mtehnawato uhladv bee eenx ­
cluduenddS etra Sloivnci.re itdt oin coastc knowtlheedsgee
neiwn terpraesst uacbthui,dto e ncslt ahrtaeht ew yer ien her­
enitns ociraelailsfitrs otmmh bee ginanniwdne grm ee rely
"distoirntt hSeetd a"yl eianHr esr.ne om entiimsoa nd oef
the faicwtta dstu hraittnh ges saem e yetahrdeso ctthraitn e
camien bteoi Tnhgu.ts hh ei stooftr hfyeo rmaatniedov no lu­
tioonfs ociraelailsiitsds ims tobretyeordne dc ogntiot ion
meetth meo sitm porptoalnitdt eimcaanoldf ts h "ec urrent
situaMtoiroeno.av"le trh,to uhagebh u ndoafon fcfiec liiatl­
eratountr hete h eoofrs yo ciraelailmsiatsyc m o nvtehiyem ­
prestshiaaogt nr edaetah lab se esna iadb oiuttt,h einst ire
litertaetnluderstse osa naltyhzatenoe xempiltmisef cyh a-
;n isms-Saoevsitehtteh teioacrsh y a,os f tbeenet nh cea se
witoht htewre ntieth-centuryi saan ir ntties­tic movements,
graclo mponoefsn otc iraelailsritas tmht ehrai ntm se ta­
description.
Quiatpea frrtoa mlt lh edsief fichuolwteivieensrt,,e i rne st
thaee sthaentpdir casco tfsi occei raelailhsiatbss em e inn hib-
THEC ULTUORFTE H ES TALEIRNA 7
itbeydaq ueswthiiofcnoh tr,h maatt taelras,ro i istneh csea se
ofc ertoatihnae rrt icsutrircie nnt th1se9 3a0nsd 1 940s,
sucahsN azairi tnG ermaAnrywe:e r eadlelaylw iintaghrI t
herIeis?it nf aecvtem no radlelfye ntsoci obnlseti odgeert her
witoht haerrt itsetnidcet nhceimsoeevs e mentsh-awvhei ch
serrveepdr ersesgiiavmneead sc hiheevgeedm tohnryot uh.ge h
.
physeilciamli onfat thieooipnrp onents?
Theqsuee stuinodnosu batreiodsuleoty f a r atnhaeirv e
and" rosnyo"t ioofan rt th agtr adugaalilncyeu dr rienn cy
twentietahe-sctehnAetctucirocyrst d.oti hnvigis e awri,tas n
}
actitvhiiatistyn depeonfpd oewnaetnr sd e etkoas s steh.re t
autonooftm hyie n divaindtduh aaetl t envdiarntotufi e nsd i­
vidfuraele dom(Hihsotwoervaierctrtah, lia lusty n ,i versally
regaarsdg eodoh da fsr equseenrttvloeey dm belalnigdsl oh­
ripfoyw eErv;em!no riem poritsta hnfeta tchtar te futsoa l
acknowtlheaedr ogtfte h aev ant-garmdaed-iewtc hsri ec­h
atoorust sidenroms e-abinyms p ltiheatsth easret ciosnt­s
sciousltyos uacasph po isrieotdrti hotanht el ya ctkhewedi ll
top oweArna. t tesnttuio9vftYe h etihre aonrpdyr actice indi­
catqeusi tceo ntty�hreia itris n a vant-agrtathr wadetefi nd
ad irceocntn ebcettiwotenhe weni tlopl o waenrtd h aer tistic
witlolm asttehmrea tearniodar lg ainatic zceo rtdoli anwgs
dictbaytt heaedr ttihsetmss aenltf!vh eiistss,h s eo uorfct eh e
confbleitcwtte heaenr tainssdto ciety>Reocfto hgen iatrito­n
isbtyt haer hti stotrheiexa hni,b oifwt orr6iknnms u seums,
ansdoo ni,n ditchatathteae sr thiaslsto t shtci osn falniidct t ,
isat t hsea mtei mace o mpensfartotimho veni c(ttohria st,
socitehteayst)t abtlhifesa ohcfett sh d ee foenacaten f do ar.l l.
Thvei ctooftr hayer teivseitnna, n a lliwainttchhpe eo woefr
thset antaet,u raarlolutyshi eens d ignoafst oicoianen ttdhy e
destioer xec ltuhdaeer tfirsoitmtp sa nthoefo nh eTrhou\es s .
sociraelail(siltsiN mka eza irf to,er x amplei)t sifientnl hdfes
posittowi hointc hhae v ant-ograirgdiaens aplilrye d-\ outside
thmeu seuamnsad r hti staonrsdye a tp afrrtot mr aditional
ansdo cieasltlayb cluilsthnueordra mTlsh .ia srr te taiitnss
virulaessn uccaeht otaallt ernaantdsi,i vntech,ele o goifc
\
contemporary posntolm oondrgeeercrno igstnthi ezc eusl ture
>
rigohfat rt tob ev irutloedniataty,n tdh aev ant-mguasrtd e