Russian Avant-Garde Picturebooks in Context
What is it about?
This book examines vivid examples of picturebooks published in the early Soviet period. It considers them in their broader context with attention to the pressures of politics and censorship, as well as art and innovation. It also uncovers hidden messages and implications in these picturebooks. The book argues that using models of ecology from natural history helps explain how picturebooks were shaped by these forces that directly affected their survival in a period of severe restrictions and increasing censorship.
Why is it important?
This book applies new natural history and ecological models to understanding the relationship of art, literature, and censorship through the example of the Soviet period. It also uses focused word and image analysis to uncover hidden implications in the image and text of these striking picturebooks. In addition, it shows how they serve as artifacts that illuminate a bigger historical, artistic, and political context.