1994 Directed by Laura Mulvey, Mark Lewis
Filmmakers Laura Mulvey and Mark Lewis use rare archival footage and interviews with artists, art historians, and museum directors to examine the fate of Soviet-era monuments during successive political regimes, from the Russian Revolution through the collapse of communism. Mulvey and Lewis highlight both the social relevance of these relics and the cyclical nature of history. Broadcast on Channel Four as part of the 'Global Image' series (1992-1994).
UK
UK
'𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺'
Fascinating (& currently semi-relevant) doc looking at Russia's dealings with and relationship to their public monuments after the fall of the Soviet Union. Discusses the destruction of Tsarist monuments after the Russian Revolution; the erection of various communist ones, and what do with them after 1991; and then the creation of new monuments and also the revival of pre-revolutionary iconography - Peter the Great and Alexander II are back!
Big fan of the juxtaposed archival imagery of the unveiling of these big massive statues, and then the empty pedestals in the 90s, as well as all these factories and artists studios filled with hundreds of spare/unwanted Lenin busts. One factory that exclusively made busts of Soviet leaders now makes souvenir versions for tourists.
ALSO - top talking heads.
I watched this at Watershed in the context of the recent public tearing down of the Colston statue so themes correspond to local current events.
