The Art of Propaganda: Vintage Soviet Posters

Western fear of Communism had been growing since the Russian revolution, and by the close of World War 2, the uneasy peace between the Western superpowers and the Soviet Union was faltering. The state used propaganda posters as a vehicle to disseminate communist ideology and promote their world view.

Soviet art traded exclusively in the imagery of an imagined future. Vibrant posters with messages of hope, unity and friendship provided encouragement to the everyday worker. Soviet artists had unabridged creative freedom as long as the state was portrayed in a positive light. With their stark simplicity and bold colours, propaganda posters were a part of the texture of everyday life in the Soviet Union, and reflect the officially approved history as it was experienced by its citizens.