Russian culture abroad: Photo exhibition of works by Alexander Rodchenko and other artists of his time kicks off in London

An exhibition of works by the Russian photographer and artist Alexander Rodchenko and other artists of his time, featuring almost a thousand of works from a private collection, was opened on January 21 2011 in the Art Sensus Gallery in London.

Around 200 works by Rodchenko, and over 750 works by Naum Granovsky, Georgy Zelma, Max Alpert and others have been put on display by the American Tosca Fund.

The exhibition which will be open up to March 19 showcases a unique chronicle of the first years of the Soviet power, its establishment and development. The exposition shows a photograph as a tool of Soviet propaganda in time of Vladmir Lenin and Joseph Stalin, other artists portrayed life of ancient cultures under the new power – Siberian shamans, peoples of Central Asia.

An important part of the exposition is represented by photographs of the inner circle of Rodchenko, his self-portraits, pictures of his wife Varvara Stepanova, photo portraits of Vladimir Mayakovsky and other friends from the LEF (Left Front of the Arts) creative association – those who “actively shaped and reformed the art” of the 1920s.

Many of the works have been put on show for the first time, all of them are originals, so-called vintage photos, made by photographers themselves, many bear notes and signatures of their authors.