Doesn’t the name Boris Orlov sound familiar? It should. We are standing before a sculpture of \u0412.\u0410. \u041e\u0440\u043b\u043e\u0432. This name represents a key figure in Moscow’s unofficial art scene.
\u0412.\u0410. \u041e\u0440\u043b\u043e\u0432, often called an “imperial artist,” ironically recreated the Soviet style. His art seems older than the Soviet Union itself. However, his “imperial” style connects to the pompous Soviet architecture of the 1930s-1950s, also known as the “Stalin Empire” style.
Orlov studied monumental arts under Georgy Motovilov. Motovilov’s bas-reliefs decorate the Moscow metro and the VDNKh. Unlike many unofficial Soviet artists, Orlov didn’t depict the “Soviet” as miserable or ugly. He created majestic, albeit ironic, images of the Soviet grand style.
Boris Orlov’s empire isn’t limited to the USSR. His works reference imperial Russia’s Baroque period. They also nod to early Russian portraiture and archaic totem poles. Even the Russian avant-garde plays a role.
The philosopher Boris Groys believed Stalin’s style came from the Russian avant-garde. This avant-garde aimed to reconstruct reality. Orlov merged Suprematism and the Soviet grand style echoing this idea. His “Formal Portrait” order banners resemble a Malevich Suprematist composition.
Airplanes appear often in Boris Orlov’s work. They link to the Futurist aviation cult. This cult united official Soviet culture and the Russian avant-garde. Airplanes also symbolize imperial eagles. However, Orlov often depicts them shot down.
To Orlov, the empire is already in ruins. His “Imperial Bust” from 1973 references De Chirico’s metaphysical painting. After the USSR’s fall, Orlov completed his image of a ruined empire. This evokes a sense of sadness for a utopia that failed. It was a hybrid of the Russian avant-garde and the Stalin style.
Boris Orlov explored power representations for 40 years. He portrayed the Soviet elite in a unique way. His sculptures feature busts and reliefs of leaders. They wear full regalia adorned with medals.
Crafted from wood, porcelain, or bronze, these sculptures were often larger than life. They stood on freestanding plinths. Enamel covered the sculptures making them shiny. These symbols evoke Soviet television celebrations. A parade of immortal heroes seems to march through his art.
Orlov considered his work a critique of the Soviet state. By portraying its leaders, he risked his official career as an artist. His early sculptures hinted at the link between fallen heroes and the Soviet Utopia. Icarus, for example, symbolized intellectuals burned by utopian ideology.
By 1975, Orlov focused on the “modern gods” of Soviet propaganda. Brezhnev and other leaders formed a modern pantheon. Orlov accentuated power symbols in his “Official Portraits.” Medallions and ribbons symbolized social and political hierarchy. He mocked the heraldic symbols of phony Soviet officials.
Like other unofficial artists, Orlov used Soviet ideology sarcastically. He made heads disproportionately small. This suggested they lacked importance and individuality. Ribbons of honor took on a life of their own. The colors red, blue, and black animated them. Orlov’s pieces echoed Russian folk art. Thus, his subjects transcended time becoming symbols of any imperial power.
One unforgettable installation featured bird-like black creatures rushing forward. Titled “Parade of Astral Bodies,” it included German eagle heads and Soviet airplane tails. These phantom missiles symbolized dominion and death. They poured out of a replica of Malevich’s “Black Square.” This square represented modernism and the crimes of Fascist and Soviet empires.
His installation “Victory over the Sun” showed Malevich’s Suprematist compositions over Nazi missile images. Aircraft wings crashed into the ground illustrating the fate of short-lived Utopias. Orlov’s art juxtaposes celestial and subterranean forces. The celestial forces are birds and airplanes. The subterranean forces are generals and athletes. This juxtaposition defines Orlov’s artistic vision.
Even today, Orlov’s works remind us of the past. Imperial ambitions continue. They persist even in a “democratic” state. Orlov’s art aimed to historicize recent art tendencies. It revealed the surprising parallels between then and now.