Soviet Russian Lithograph by D.S. Groman - Nonconformist face in black and white (1979)

Display

Dmitry Semenovich Groman, 1979

Soviet Russian Lithograph by D.S. Groman - Nonconformist face in black and white (1979), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

Medium: Lithograph/paper
Dimensions /: 37 H x 33 W
Country: Russian SFSR
Condition: A | Excellent - Minimal to no signs of wear

Soviet Russian Lithograph by D.S. Groman - Nonconformist face in black and white (1979), framed in a wooden frame on a white wall with soft sunlight

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The Pärnu Kalur fish canning factory, 1970s

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“Pärnu Kalur” was a fishing collective based in Pärnu, Estonia, founded in 1969 through the merger of the “Yakhta” and “Vaal” collectives.

It expanded in the early 1970s by absorbing “Kommunismi Lipp” and “Kalur” in 1972, and “Nõukogude Partizan” and “Audrurand” in 1973.

Its operations extended beyond Pärnu to Liu, the islands of Kihnu and Ruhnu, and the coastal towns of Võiste and Treimani.

As of January 1, 1979, the collective had 2,269 members, including 657 fishermen.

Fishing took place in the Atlantic Ocean, the Baltic Sea, and local coastal waters.

The collective operated a canning factory in Pärnu and a cage fish farm in Treimani. In 1978, it produced 11.5 million cans of fish.

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Dmitry Semenovich Groman’s "Display" (1979) represents a significant work from a period when unofficial artists were navigating the complex landscape of Soviet artistic expression. This lithograph, produced during Groman's mature period, emerges from his background in graphic techniques and printmaking developed during his time at the Moscow Polygraphic Institute. The work demonstrates the artistic freedom he pursued following the watershed moment of the 1962 Manezh exhibition, which marked a crucial turning point in Soviet unofficial art.

The composition presents a fragmented facial portrait, divided vertically into two distinct sections. The left side appears more linear and defined, while the right side dissolves into undulating, wave-like forms. A stark rectangular frame encases the image, creating a window-like effect that both contains and emphasises the fragmentary nature of the portrait. This splitting of the face suggests themes of duality and identity, potentially reflecting the complex position of unofficial artists working within the Soviet system.

The lithograph demonstrates masterful control of tone and texture through the printmaking medium. Groman employs a minimalist palette of black and white, creating depth through subtle gradations and bold contrasts. The technique shows his professional background in book illustration and graphic design, while the experimental approach to portraiture reflects his association with the "New Reality" artistic group and their departure from official Soviet artistic conventions.

Dmitry Semenovich Groman, born in 1924 in Odessa, established himself as a significant figure in Soviet nonconformist art through his membership in the Union of Artists of the USSR and participation in the groundbreaking "New Reality" group. His formal education at the Moscow Polygraphic Institute under A.I. Usachev and N.N. Vysheslavtsev, followed by work at prominent Soviet publishing houses, provided him with the technical foundation evident in this work. His participation in the historically significant 1962 Manezh exhibition marked him as a key figure in unofficial Soviet art. Today, his works are held in prestigious collections including the State Tretyakov Gallery and the State Russian Museum.