Peace Labor Happiness 1957

Valerii Lamakh made this poster, *Peace Labor Happiness*, and look at the way he used color! It’s all about clear communication; nothing wishy-washy here. I’m drawn to the rendering of the figure’s arms. See how the artist uses these warm fleshy tones, like a dash of red and a hint of green? The way Lamakh models the musculature is so direct and unpretentious. This speaks to a broader theme in the work, a celebration of the human form, intertwined with a certain industrious quality. The paint application is flat, the color saturated, the message accessible to all, like folk art. The doves and the sky are more than just symbols; they're tangible elements, worked into the fabric of the composition. Thinking about artists who worked in similar ways, I'm reminded of the clear graphic language of someone like Corita Kent. But ultimately, this piece feels rooted in its own time and place, a moment when art was a tool for shaping a collective future, a vision of peace, labor, and happiness.