Untitled 1944

This satirical cartoon was created by the Soviet artistic collective Kukryniksy. I love how they use ink and watercolor washes to bring their scathing vision to life! The overall texture feels spontaneous, with fluid lines and transparent layers, a rapid process is implied. Look at Hitler perched precariously, he’s rendered in warm browns, in contrast to the cool blues of the table he’s leaning on. The artist’s hand is evident in the way the awards cascade. There is a wonderful repetition, but each one is slightly different, like the artist is suggesting they have little value. It reminds me a little of Grosz and his depictions of German society in the 20s. Art is often a way of taking a closer look at the world, and Kukryniksy encourages us to see the absurdities of power.