Kiss 

Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin made this sketch of a kiss using pencil and watercolor. The drawing’s apparent simplicity belies its challenging subject matter. Painted in Russia, sometime in the early 20th century, the sketch depicts two figures embracing in a kiss. We can examine the politics of imagery in the moment the drawing was made. The image creates meaning through its composition and expressionistic style, perhaps a reflection of the Russian avant-garde’s search for new forms. But we should also note how the intimate moment shared between these two figures challenges social norms. This would have been a controversial subject for public display, and we might consider the public role of art and the ways in which an image like this might challenge social structures of its time. The interpretation of art is contingent on social and institutional context. To understand this sketch better, we could research the cultural values of the early 20th century and the institutional histories of art production and reception in Russia.