"The Rise of the Russian Avant-Garde"-An Explosive Art Expose of Historic Importance

The recently opened exhibit at the MoMA "The Rise of the Russian Avant-Garde" is incredible in scope for its copious assemblage of artistic & innovation and for the sentient historic perspective of the  dynamic, volatile and oppressive arc from WWI & the Russian Revolution through the political changes wrought during the Soviet Union's First Five-Year Plan in 1932.  This is an extraordinary complilation of art, design, engineering, videos, political propaganda & audio that create a stirring & disconcerting exhibit.  I'd go so far as to say that the progression of events represented through various mediums, photos, videos, posters, paintings, etc. evoked a chilling & disturbing response.  That's not to say that there aren't works of aesthetic pleasing & ingenious. The first few galleries contain works by Olga Rozanova, Vladimir & Georgi Stenberg, Lyubov Popova, Natalia Goncharova & Kandinsky (to name but a few of the artistic genius represented.)  The influence of cubism & artworks outside the country during the early years of WWI are evident and then outside influences diminish during the rise of Stalin.  The exuberance of the onset of the Russian Revolution is tantamount in works that display energy, innovation & vibrant, colorful, appealing creations.  But, the impending (or imposing) Soviet Union authoritarian government is evident in the photos, films & artworks that follow.  It appears the sketches & drawings under the new Soveit Union promoted conformity while destructing the notion of individuality & uniqueness.  Art is omnipotent.  It contains the ability to reflect the epoch of which it  was created.  I believe that there is inherent in art & creative output, a subvertive proclivity.  At the very least, art instills a unique, invasive response.  My response to this amazing & thought provoking exhibit is to go back, attend a corresponding lecture from MoMA and it instilled a feeling of jingoism for the USA.  Note the paper, celluloid face structure in the upper corner of the back gallery.  It's a big brother watching you piece that also shows it vulnerable to being folded up and shut down.  Also note the design sketch for an operetic ballet where the dancers are so constrained as to make them robotic.  In fact, many of the later artworks create the sense of the human form evolving into amorphous mechanical objects.  "The Rise of the Russian Avant-Garde" is a prescient exhibit for our times and an irrefutable testament to Russian history.  I'm going to return & reprise my visceral experience to this extremely engaging & haunting exhibition.