Old-timers talk about some frays, And they remember well those days! With cause all Russia fashions lays About Borodino! 1942

Kukryniksy made this anti-Nazi poster sometime during the Second World War, probably with gouache or poster paint, for easy reproduction. There’s something really raw about it. The limited palette, just black, red and yellow, emphasizes the violence depicted. It feels like a brutal, immediate response. I love the energy around the central explosion. Thin yellow lines radiate outwards, chaotic and uncontrolled. Look closely at the cartoonish, dog-like soldiers fleeing, their helmets askew, bodies flailing; it's like slapstick comedy meets genuine horror. The monument in the background is stark and imposing, a reminder of Russian resilience. The bold, graphic style and high contrast reminds me a bit of Art Spiegelman’s “Maus”. Both artists use a pared-down visual language to depict the atrocities of war. Art doesn't have to be pretty; it can be a punch to the gut, a scream of protest.