
Stalinist monumental art and architecture, and the 'immortalization of memory'.
Supervisors: Prof Dan Healey and Prof Polly Jones
My research explores the
policy of the 'immortalization of memory' under the Stalin regime in the former
Soviet Union, in the years 1932-1953. This policy led to the construction of
monumental art and architecture marking important events and individuals. As I
hypothesize, monuments, memorial plaques, public art installations, landmark
buildings, etc., were intended to produce (idealized) representations of
contemporaneous events and individuals, and pass these down to posterity.
This
research project explores the various actors involved with 'immortalization of
memory' and the motives of this policy. It also traces the ways that the goal
of 'immortalization' influenced the style and form of Stalinist monumental art
and architecture. Aside from seeking to reinterpret Stalinist art, the research
aims to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of Stalinism's relationship
to the future.
Contact: antony.kalashnikov@history.ox.ac.uk