Industrial landscapes. Industrial landscapes by Edward Burtynsky

The victorious October Revolution of 1917 carried out a radical revolution not only in the political and social life society; it radically transformed the culture, consciousness, and worldview of people. Despite the hardest living conditions, civil war, devastation and famine, the 1920s and 1930s were some of the most productive years in terms of creative search in painting, architecture, literature, theater, cinema. True, then, after this cultural breakthrough, a return movement began, with the suppression of “degenerate art,” which essentially contradicted the ideological line of the party and the Soviet government.

But this will be in the future, which in the 1920s seemed bright and inviting - with its perspective, novelty, scale. With the proclamation of programs for economic transformation of the country, electrification, industrialization, construction of a new, communist society, the whole country turned into one big construction site, where the main actor The working class has become, transforming the surrounding reality at an unprecedented pace.

Against the backdrop of agricultural landscapes and untouched nature, enterprises in the electric power industry, chemistry and petrochemistry, mechanical engineering, metallurgy, and heavy industry began to be built en masse.

The scale of the transformation shocked not only the average person, but also artists of various genres and trends. The organizers and followers of the “Jack of Diamonds”, “Donkey’s Tail” and other avant-garde associations of Russian painters actively became involved in a life inspired by labor romance and enthusiasm, shifting the emphasis from the “scarecrows” (as Ilya Mashkov called his Fauvist portraits) to the creation of proletarian architectural masterpieces (such , like “Tatlin’s Tower”), posters, industrial landscapes.

Below is early work A. Kuprin “Plant. Etude”, written almost in the style of cubism, although the author avoids the fragmentation of objects characteristic of this direction.

Masters such as Alexander Kuprin, Konstantin Bogaevsky, Alexander Deineka, Alexander Labas, as well as whole line other artists, put aside still lifes, portraits and nudes in order to create a new direction, called industrial landscape. This capacious concept included not only canvases depicting factories or new buildings, but also other economic subjects - the construction of new cities and significant objects, power plants and dams, railways and locomotives, leaders of production in the surroundings of technical equipment, machine tools, tractors, cranes.

The artists who painted industrial landscapes were not opportunists trying to ride a new fashionable wave and at the same time please the authorities. Their paintings were not “colorized photographs.” The canvases of the masters of this movement convey to the viewer the powerful pulse of that time, the enthusiasm of the workers, and the grandiose scale of economic transformations. At the same time, we can observe the transmission of industrial rhythm and creative spirit through various styles – socialist realism, avant-gardeism, impressionism and even futurism (the latter direction for cities of the future is very popular even now). Probably, M. Larionov and N. Goncharova’s term “allism” would be appropriate here,

implying the use of all techniques and styles.

Below are paintings by K. Bogaevsky, painted by him in different styles in 1932 and 1935.

The painting “Bibi-Heybat”, in which the artist depicted oil developments near Baku, amazes us with its static nature and complete absence movements. The viewer sees only towering oil rigs, residential and industrial buildings near them. Nothing indicates a date; the external observer seems to find himself in a space devoid of time. Only production facilities that are waiting for workers. Who and when will give the signal to start work remains a mystery. Complete staticity and understatement makes the picture look like an “industrial icon.” In its execution, K. Bogaevsky’s masterpiece resembles the paintings of De Chirico, who worked in a metaphysical style.

The artist chooses completely different approaches when painting pictures about the construction of the Dnieper hydroelectric power station. On one of them, Dneprostroy is depicted in an almost impressionistic manner, where the play of light occupies one of the central places. Spotlight beams and flashes from welding work enliven the composition with dynamics and creativity, showing that work does not stop even in the evening and at night.

In the painting “Panorama of the construction of the Dnieper Hydroelectric Power Plant,” Bogaevsky adheres to a realistic style, carefully depicting the details of the extensive construction site.

The works of Alexander Kuprin are designed in a more uniform and recognizable style, which depicts not only production sites, but also clearly visible workers engaged in creative work.

The canvases of A. Labas have a unique style and charisma, choosing a special palette of colors for the industrial landscape, characteristic of pastels. In the artist’s execution, the enterprises and the surrounding landscape come to a state of harmony, which pleases the eye of an external observer.

Paintings by artists representing the industrial landscape in the pre-war and post-war period enjoyed

demand from the corporate sector. This type of painting was also close to the working masses, who perceived it as understandable, accessible, and advanced. The paintings of the industrialists did not require additional explanations and lectures, almost necessary for the Suprematism of Malevich or the abstractions of Kandinsky. Everything was done not only in a highly artistic style, but also had an educational and propaganda function that set the viewer in a creative mood.

Projection from an industrial landscape monumental painting, mosaics and embossings that decorated the buildings of Soviet cities, enterprise territories and park areas. Industrial landscapes were and continue to be an indispensable attribute of the offices of business executives, lobbies and corporate museums. This Soviet tradition has been preserved in a somewhat transformed form and now, having become part of organizational culture not only industrial, but also service, transport and other companies.

It should be noted that over time, attitudes towards the industrial landscape have changed. This became especially noticeable after man-made disasters in Bhopal, Chernobyl, extensive oil spills, and the appearance of industrial smog over the cities.

Industrial pipes have become a symbol of pollution environment, increasing greenhouse gases, wastewater, exploitation of people and the environment. In the late 1990s and 2000s, the industrial landscape increasingly began to be used in the genre of grotesque and caricature.

At the same time, the industrial landscape continues to develop taking into account new trends in industrial and landscape design, moving to a new stage of its evolution.

In the 30s of the last century it appeared interesting direction, called “industrial landscape”. Windmills in the fields, huge plates in the mountains, cows against the background of pipes - all this is in today's selection of industrial landscapes.

1. Nature and road. Interstate 94 in the United States of America, January 12, 2017.

2. Last year, China completed construction of the world's largest radio telescope, FAST (Five hundred meter Aperture Spherical Telescope). The diameter of its reflector is half a kilometer! The FAST telescope will observe objects located up to 11 billion light years from Earth. The National Space Agency of China plans that the radio telescope will also be able to detect signals from extraterrestrial civilizations.

3. An interesting structure in Germany, climbing onto which opens up a view of the industrial area of ​​Duisburg. The wind gently sways the staircase slide, creating a kind of “attraction” for lovers of heights. are located in Duisburg. (Photo by Kevin Kurek):

4. Solar panels blend well with natural landscapes, Ollague, Chile, January 9, 2016. (Photo by Pablo Sanhueza | Reuters):

7. Oil is pumped near Baghdad in Iraq, October 14, 2016. Who? According to some estimates, America has 80% of Iraqi oil rigs under its thumb. It was not for nothing that in 2003 they waved a test tube with “anthrax” at the Security Council. (Photo by Essam Al-Sudani | Reuters):

9. Cooling towers in France, October 21, 2016. These are cooling devices large quantity water by air flow. Sometimes cooling towers are also called cooling towers. (Photo by Regis Duvignau | Reuters):

11. Waste incineration plant near Paris, December 9, 2016. (Photo by Charles Platiau | Reuters):

12. Gold mine. Congo is the largest sub-Saharan African country and, on paper, one of the richest: huge deposits of diamonds and gold, cobalt, copper, tin, tantalum and many other ores are concentrated here. However, the endless war turned the Congo into one of the poorest and most unhappy countries. (Photo by Pete Jones | Reuters):

14. A wind generator is a very effective device for converting the kinetic energy of a wind flow into mechanical energy of rotor rotation, followed by its conversion into electrical energy. Belgium, January 25, 2016. (Photo by Eric Vidal | Reuters):

15. In Europe and the USA, huge wind turbines are a common element of the countryside landscape. These beautiful giants are installed not only on land, but also in water spaces.

16. Smoking pipes and power lines. (Photo by Siphiwe Sibeko | Reuters):

17. Beautiful industrial landscape. Cooling tower of a nuclear power plant in Switzerland, November 18, 2014. (Photo by Arnd Wiegmann | Reuters):

18. Kashagan is a large offshore oil and gas field in Kazakhstan, located 80 km from the city of Atyrau, in the northern part of the Caspian Sea. (Photo by Anatoly Ustinenko | Reuters).

Industrial landscape - a whole layer of socialist realism in painting

The period of socialist construction in our country was associated with numerous changes in people's lives. This could not but affect the fine arts, which at that time acquired special character. The changes affected all genres of painting, and, of course, the landscape was not spared. In the thirties of the last century, the direction of the so-called “industrial landscape” was formed, in which it was clearly reflected romantic look for the active restoration of the national economy and the construction of many impressive industrial facilities. Many thematic paintings by artists were dedicated to the greatness of construction projects and achievements Soviet people in labor and industrial development. However, many Soviet artists could not help but touch on the creative side of life. ordinary people, psychology of their personality.
The appeal to topical themes of the era of socialist realism can be clearly seen in the paintings Soviet artists Gremitskikh V.G., Gordon G.M., Galakhov L.I., Solovyov S.F., Ishmametov E.D. and many others. The works of these talented masters of painting in all their diversity are presented in the impressive collection of Alexander Gremitsky. The sale of industrial landscapes of socialist realism will be a unique opportunity for you to profitably purchase aesthetic works of fine art from a bygone era to replenish your own collection of paintings or as a painting as a gift to people significant to you.

Features of the industrial landscape of socialist realism

Socialist realism arose as a movement during the era of active construction of Soviet society. At the same time, the view of the surrounding reality provided for a special ideological bias. Soviet painting, like other forms of art, was supposed to become a conductor Soviet people to faith in a bright future and show the advantages of the then existing political system.
The industrial landscape of the artists of that time was intended to reflect the development
technical progress- construction of large economic and industrial facilities, increasing supply volumes Agriculture, affirm the idea of ​​joy human labor. Such large thematic paintings created a visually successful image of a great power and were supposed to tune the entire people to an optimistic perception of the then reality. Many painters who turned to this theme were able to create with the help of various artistic means for real talented works, reflecting the scope of construction projects, the incredible grandeur people's labor, a charge of vigor and faith in a bright tomorrow.
At the same time, the artists were able to clearly convey their personal attitude to the theme they chose for their industrial landscapes, filling the paintings with elements of romanticism and optimism. A clear example Industrial landscapes can easily be called such works of pictorial art as “Construction of the Kuibyshev Hydroelectric Power Station”, “Lights of Kuibyshevhydrostroy” by the artist Vladimir Gremitskikh.

Buy an industrial landscape of socialist realism in Moscow

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It is difficult to see beauty in a coal mine or, for example, in a recycling plant. It is unlikely that anyone will think of beauty when looking at the chimneys of industrial enterprises or abandoned quarries. But photographer Edward Burtynsky is drawn to just such subjects, and he shows us that they, too, can enchant.

A dominant theme in Edward Burtynsky's work is nature as modified by industrial activity. He looks for suitable landscapes, rich in detail, and photographs them. Quarries, factories, mines - all these places are beyond our daily experience, although we are aware of their role in providing us with a comfortable life.

Edward Burtynsky's images should be taken as a metaphor expressing the dilemma of our modern existence; they contain a hidden dialogue between attraction and disgust, temptation and fear. We all crave a comfortable life and consciously or unconsciously understand that the world suffers for our well-being. Our dependence on nature to provide materials for humanity to consume, while at the same time the challenge of maintaining the health of our planet, leads to a difficult contradiction. It is these difficulties that are reflected in the photographer’s works.

Edward Burtynsky photographs the raw materials and waste of civilization—but does so in a way that has people calling his work “beautiful” and “stunning.” The author's photographs attract interest and ask many questions, none of which Edward even tries to answer.

Achievements scientific and technological progress, which became one of the most important signs of the twentieth century, affected literally all spheres of human life. They not only put previously unimaginable opportunities into his hands, but changed the very perception and understanding of the world, which, thanks to the efforts of numerous scientists and engineers, has become global, where events occurring at the same time in different parts of the world turn out to be interconnected, capable of instantly influencing the fate of millions of people. The contradictory essence of this process worried not only natural and technical sciences, but also sociologists, philosophers, writers, artists. art along with philosophy, literature, cinema, reacted sensitively to the changes that the the world under the influence of rapidly developing science and industry. Discoveries and inventions that took place on turn of the 19th century and XX centuries, in many ways anticipated and prepared those social revolutions that soon shocked and transformed the whole world. And, it seems, it is no coincidence that it was in Russia after the victory October revolution, which truly marked the beginning of a completely new stage in domestic and world history, the industrial, or industrial, theme received such a purposeful and fruitful development. Having discovered its ideological significance for the young Soviet state, it was reflected in thematic picture, both in portrait and landscape.

Thus, already in the 1930s, as an independent and important section Soviet art an industrial landscape was formed, where the theme of creating a new, man-made nature was reflected both in the constructive graphics of the paintings of representatives of the Society of Easel Painters, permeated with the dynamics of modernity, and in those turned to the traditions of realistic art of the 19th century century landscapes by A. Kuprin and K. Bogaevsky. The next surge of interest in the industrial landscape occurred in the 1960s - a time of new large-scale construction projects and significant scientific discoveries. It was at this time that one of the greatest masters of the industrial landscape was A.V. Panteleev, whose work reflected not only the gains of technological progress, but also its costs, many of which turned out to be disastrous for both nature and humans. Here it is necessary to immediately draw attention to the fact that the industrial landscape is a broad section of the industrial theme, covering various genres, themes and plot motifs, to one degree or another connected with the reflection of the labor feat of the people, the pathos of the rapid transformation of the world under the influence of human activity. Circle artistic traditions, which the authors of these works addressed - and the author of the book quite rightly dwells on this problem in detail - is quite wide. The significant changes that Soviet art underwent at the turn of the 1950s and 1960s significantly affected the nature of the plastic interpretation of the “industrial theme.” Along with the legacy of the Easel Painters Society, which was rehabilitated at that time, and which became one of the most important artistic reference points for Alexander Panteleev, the artists’ attention turned to the thoroughly forgotten traditions of the Russian and foreign avant-garde of the early 20th century. And, it seems, it is no coincidence that it was the plastic discoveries of Picasso and the Italian futurists, as well as their Russian associates, that made it possible to adequately embody completely new subjects and motifs for the industrial theme. They, as a rule, were no longer the fruit of the tragic insights and prophecies of philosophers and writers and appeared as a response caring person to tragic events that were the result of deep contradictions initially inherent in the progress of technogenic civilization.

And here Panteleev was destined to become a founder and even a classic " technical topic" - a completely special genre specific to Soviet art of the 1970s and 80s, which highlighted a wide range of serious problems that had yet to be solved in the traditional form of easel painting. IN beginning of XXI century, when the problems caused by the unbridled development of technical progress in all its forms became completely obvious, an appeal to the work of A. V. Panteleev, an artist who managed to see and show both the triumphantly affirmative and dramatic side of technicalism, seems especially relevant and necessary .

It should be especially noted that the author often compares Panteleev’s works with the works of other Soviet artists - his predecessors (A. Deineka, K. Bogaevsky, A. Kuprin, G. Nissky) and contemporaries (T. Salakhov, S. Juntunen, N. Kormashov, E. Bragovsky, V. Vetrogonsky), identifying similarities and differences in the stylistic, pictorial-plastic and figurative-content interpretation of the industrial theme. At the same time, I.B. Balashova finds the right intonations and gives a fair assessment of the work of each of the very respectable authors. In addition, she draws bold and interesting historical parallels between the character figurative solution works by Panteleev and masters of past eras - we're talking about, in particular, about the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci, the works of the largest representative of the classical landscape of the 17th century, Nicolas Poussin, as well as ancient Russian art, to which the iconographic solution of the series goes back later works artist, dedicated to the image of a robot - a new hero of the era of scientific and technological revolution.

painting urban industrial landscape