International events: Soviet art of 1917-1945 goes on show in Madrid as a part of Cultural Exchange Year for Russia and Spain

As a part of the Cultural Exchange Year for Russia and Spain on October 6 2011 La Casa Encendida – the social and cultural center in Madrid, launched an exhibition “Red Cavalry. Creative works and authority in Soviet Russia between 1917 and 1945”. The exhibition marks one of the most interesting periods in the history of Russian culture, the moment, when after the revolution of 1917 the Russian Empire ceased to exist on the political map, instead a new state – the USSR - appeared. That time saw not only great political, economic and social shocks, but also crucial changes in culture.

Hard historical processes have been portrayed in a grandiose exposition. Theatre and cinema, painting and poster, music and literature revive the complicated and contradictory picture of the time. Spanish visitors will have an opportunity to see over 200 works from collections of major museums of Russia, such as the State Russian Museum, the State Tretyakov Gallery, the State Historical Museum, A. A. Bakhrushin State Central Theatre Museum, St. Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Music, the State Literary Museum, and private collections of Moscow. In addition to paintings, graphic works, and sculptures, the exposition unveils a set of archival materials, most of which have never been shown to the general public before.