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During October the Oberlin Center for Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies will offer a 1 credit course
called "Contraband Canvases: How Modern Soviet Art Found a Home in the Desert." The course explores the lifework of Igor Savitsky (1915-1984), who rescued 44,000 works of unsanctioned Soviet art, then managed to secure funding to display them officially. Far from Kremlin eyes, the Nukus Art Museum in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan holds the second largest collection of Soviet avant-garde art in the world. Suppressed during Stalinism and the following decades, these works offer fresh perspectives on the art and history of the USSR. The course features lectures on the history, politics and culture of the area, as well as a screening of the 2010 award-winning documentary Desert of Forbidden Art and a discussion with film directors Amanda Pope and Tchavdar Georgiev.
First semester, first module
Mon. Oct. 11-14, and 18-20 7-9 p.m, King 106
1 HU credit, P/NP
Oct. 11
Russian 136, "Contraband Canvases: How Modern Soviet Art Found a Home in the Desert" begins tonight at 7 p.m. in King 106. This minicourse, sponsored by the Oberlin Center for Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies and the Allen Memorial Art Museum, explores the lifework of Igor Savitsky (1915-1984), who rescued 44,000 works of unsanctioned Soviet art, then managed to secure funding to display them officially. The course features lectures on the history, politics and culture of the area, as well as a screening of the 2010 award-winning documentary Desert of Forbidden Art and a discussion with the film's directors Amanda Pope and Tchavdar Georgiev.
Oct. 12: "Contraband Canvases," featured speaker: Assistant Visiting Assistant of History Marko Dumancic provides an overview of Central Asian history.
Oct. 13 "Contraband Canvases," featured speakers: Professor of Russian and Comparative Literature Tim Scholl and Associate Professor of Russian Arlene Forman present an introduction to Russian Modernist and Socialist Realist art.
Oct. 14 "Contraband Canvases," featured speaker: Associate Professor of Politics Stephen Crowley explores Uzbekistan today.
Monday, Oct. 18
Public Screening of Desert of Forbidden Art in West Auditorium.
This award-winning 2010 documentary highlights the life and achievements of Igor Savitsky (1915-1984), who rescued 44,000 works of unsanctioned Soviet art and founded a museum to display them. Today, the Nukus Art Museum, located in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan, holds the second largest collection of Soviet avant-garde art in the world. This collection, suppressed during Stalinism and the following decades, offers fresh perspectives on the art and history of the USSR.
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The Oberlin College screening presents a rare opportunity to see the remarkable story of the man and the museum he
created and to meet the film's directors Amanda Pope and Tchavdar Georgiev.
This event is open and free to the public.
Oct. 19
Desert of Forbidden Art: Round Table Discussion with film directors Amanda Pope and Tchavdar Georgiev.
This event is open and free to the public.
Oct. 20 "Contraband Canvases," featured speaker, Russian and Soviet art historian, Pamela Kachurin of Duke University will deliver the concluding lecture about the Nukus Museum collection.
This lecture is open and free to the public.
