From Russian Constructivism to Socialist Realism to Japanese "Co-prosperity Realism?"

Vortrag von Dr. Andrea Germer (Associate Professor, Kyushu University / Universität Heidelberg)
in Kooperation mit der Graduiertenschule für Ost- und Südosteuropastudien, LMU München und Universität Regensburg

Abstract

Photography and photojournalism have been instrumental in forging "visual economies of truth" (Susan Buck-Morss 2007) that form the basis for all claims of legitimacy, power and rule in modern(ising) societies. At the same time, they are nothing but transcultural and transnational media technologies and their entangled histories reveal similar ways in which they are deployed to stake claims within their respective political spheres. As a window and case study of such entangled histories, this paper presents the overseas photo propaganda magazines SSSR na stroike (produced in the Soviet Union, 1930-1941, 1949) and FRONT (produced in Japan, 1942-1945). Masterfully created by famous Russian Constructivists, SSSR na stroike became a prime platform for photography of Socialist Realism. Modelled after the Soviet example, FRONT was produced by leading Japanese professionals of visual media in order to glorify Japan’s mission in the "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere." This paper explores some of the shifting political and contextual frames of photographic techniques from their avant-garde roots to their service to political religion in different regimes and discusses their transnational, transcultural and transideological dimensions.

Uhrzeit: 18.00 Uhr (c.t.) – 20.00 Uhr
Ort: Historicum, Schellingstr. 12, Raum K 226

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