The Legacy of WWII in Russian Art, Saatchi Gallery

Saatchi Gallery exhibition 2015
When we think of 20^th century Russian art it’s easy to imagine enormous Social Realism paintings and the harsh propaganda of the Cold War. But in the years following World War II there was a great deal of Russian artwork that responded to the horrors of violence with humanity and self-awareness.
Saatchi Gallery Russian exhibition
In a curious new exhibition at Saatchi Gallery, London, the organisation Art Russe brings to our attention the legacy of WWII in Russian art. A fitting celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Allies' victory in WW2, this Saatchi show is arranged over two galleries with a huge variety of imposing paintings by Mai Volfovich Dantsig and smaller works. Alongside paintings and sculptures never before seen in the UK, you’ll find graphic works by Britain’s Ministry of Information, which create a fascinating context to the exhibition. Highlights of the show include Aleksandr Ivanovich Laktionov’s warm painting Letter from the Front (1947) and the famous landmark sculpture Worker and Kolkhoz Woman (1937) by Vera Mukhina.
This Saatchi Gallery Russian art exhibition gives the other side of the story, with potent works that remind us of the struggle in the Soviet Union after the Second World War.