In 1928 the Soviet government launched the Spartakiada – a proletariat athletic tournament to rival the Olympics. It took its name from the rebel slave leader Spartacus, and was designed to show off the physical and political strength of the Soviet Union. Klutsis was commissioned to create a series of propaganda postcards to promote the games, and he created one for each sport using photomontage techniques.
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Artist
Gustav Klutsis
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Artwork
Moscow All-Union Olympiad (Spartakiada)
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Exhibition
Red Star Over Russia
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Date of work
1928
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Credit
Postcard, print on paper 14.8 x 10.5 cm Tate. Purchased 2016. The David King Collection at Tate
Red Star over Russia: A Revolution in Visual Culture 1905 – 55 at Tate Modern marks the centenary of the October Revolution with a remarkable display of the collection of the late photographer and graphic designer David King (1943 - 2016), offering a visual history of Russia and the Soviet Union. Using selected works from King’s incredible collection of over 250,000 items relating to the period, the show will chart how political events changed the face of art and graphic design, with a lasting impact still felt today.