Exhibition Kiosk with Projection Screen 1928

Curator: Immediately, I’m struck by its sense of futurism—a real “metropolis” vibe. Editor: And what are your impressions of the materiality of this image, given its function as a design? Curator: Absolutely. What we are viewing is Elena Semenova’s mixed-media design drawing from 1928 entitled "Exhibition Kiosk with Projection Screen.” We can see elements of both art deco and modernism, it makes me think about a period of dramatic social and political change. I mean, look at those geometric forms juxtaposed with this urban landscape! Editor: You nailed it. Look how those materials combine – paper, gouache, graphite and that distinct poster style – creating a tangible vision for this modernist future. How do you see the kiosk itself functioning within this socio-political context? Curator: I think it served as a site for the construction of Soviet identity. A kiosk offering a projected vision –literally– of the idealized urban space, while subtly controlling the narratives being consumed by the populace. There’s a complex tension at play between accessibility and manipulation. Editor: Precisely! That material layering then - the paper, the paint, the architectural drawing– acts as a literal representation of the complex layers of labor involved in producing ideology, both constructed and distributed. Note too, how the geometric and grid patterns reinforce the idea of a planned environment, produced by specific processes of making, as opposed to spontaneous organic urban growth. Curator: The strong reds and blacks speak to power dynamics, perhaps an assertion of Soviet power but also maybe hinting at social tensions bubbling beneath the surface, anxieties about modernity and control. And how were those ideas reflected in her career? Editor: Indeed. She designed pavilions and posters. She was instrumental in conveying state-sponsored messages through design, and this piece gives us insight into the relationship between artistry and utility within her work. She expertly wielded the tools and visual language to communicate. Curator: Seeing it that way, it definitely gives us a better understanding of Soviet exhibition design in that era, as a site of both aspiration and ideological construction. Editor: A beautiful confluence of material and message – art shaping reality, not just reflecting it.