The state and cultural change

Following the October revolution, new forms of art flourished. The notion of a truly
revolutionary art inspired painters, sculptors, filmmakers and artists of all kind.
However, there were disagreements amongst leading members of the communist
party about what revolutionary art should actually mean. They did agree upon the
fact art was of prime importance. However, some believed proletariat art would
flourish as the Revolution had created a new society where workers would
increasingly become their own masters. However, others believes the proletariat
should learn from the best of the bourgeois culture.

Lunacharsky and the Proletkult:

Lunacharsky, the People’s commissar of enlightenment, believed that proletariat
culture should flourish. He argued that capitalism had been dominated by bourgeois
culture, so the new revolutionary society should be dominated by proletarian culture:
art made by workers to reflect experiences and concerns of working people. He
believed artistic expression to be an important part of a fulfilling life and that
proletarian art would naturally focus on the collective experience and involve a wide
range of people, reinforcing communist ideology.
In order to foster the growth of proletarian culture, he supported Proletkult: the
proletarian culture movement. Through Proletkult, working people had access to
studios where they could paint, sculpt, rehearse plays, wtc. By 1920, there were
84,000 members working in over 3000 studios. Another on of their great
achievements, was a magazine called Gorn, which showcased the work of the
proletariat. Significantly, this magazine was independent to the communist party.
Lenin and revolutionary culture:
Lenin was in fact critical od Lunacharsky’s philosophy and Proletkult. Lenin argued
that the best culture was universal: neither bourgeois nor proletariat, it reflected
the human spirit. Hence, he defended bourgeois art stating that working people
What’s Avant-garde:
could learn from the best bourgeois artists, who created this universal culture.
This term refersHe
Lenin, also had misgivings about Proletkult. tobelieved it was encouiraging artists
to embrace Futurism: a formk of Artartists
Lenin believed to be th worst of the bourgeois
as it celebrated individual self-expression. He believed it to be degenerate.
The dissolution of the Proletkult:
Proletkult flourished from 1917-1920. However, Lenin viewed it a danger to the
revolution as he believd it to be dominated by socialists in association with opposition
movements, like anarchism.
Despite Lunacharsky defending the independence of proletkult, Lenin sent
representatives to the national congress of Proletkult, appealing for their support for
the communist party. They voluntarily merged with the commissariat of education.
Following this merge, government funds were diverted from supporting local activities
to supporting traditional arts such as ballet.

Agitprop:
Trotsky and Lenin believed art could be used to engender
support for the communist part. Hence, in 1920, the
department of agitation and propaganda (agitprop), was What’s Futurism:
formed. They organised propaganda that was designed to An artist movement
support the government. inspired by urbanisation,
youth and modern
Agitprop was often produced by avant-garde artists technology. A key feature
working for the government. Hence, the style was often of it was angular
experimental – too experimental in Lenin’s view. industrial shapes.