Advertisement for GUM (department store) 1923

Editor: Right now, we're looking at Alexander Rodchenko's 1923 advertisement for GUM, the department store. It’s a collage and print – so striking with its clashing angles and bold typography! It feels very…dynamic, almost chaotic. What jumps out at you when you look at this? Curator: Chaotic is definitely one word for it! For me, it feels like a visual shout, a raw, enthusiastic burst of energy. Remember, this is post-Revolution Russia, a society being rebuilt from the ground up. Look at how Rodchenko uses those trains and cars. What do you see in their upward trajectory? Editor: Movement, maybe progress? The trains seem almost… precariously balanced, though. Curator: Exactly! There’s this incredible tension between optimism and instability. The promise of a brighter future, but also the anxiety of rapid change. Then you have that fellow in the hat. Almost a clownish figure…do you think he's selling you a dream? And how do the colours impact your reading of the piece? Editor: He does look a bit like he’s trying a bit too hard to look trustworthy, and red is for revolution and change. Overall the limited palette makes this easier to digest Curator: It's fascinating how Rodchenko takes something as simple as an advertisement and turns it into a potent visual statement about a society in flux, wouldn't you say? Editor: Definitely! I had just thought about it as being a bit overwhelming but learning all this new context, I find it an extremely deep dive into a historic moment. Curator: And I was pleasantly reminded how accessible Rodchenko makes it, all through those sharp angles and familiar colours.