Maker: Aleksandr Amelin
Perestroika
Date Made: 1988
Country: Soviet Union
Measurements: 90 cm x 60 cm; 35 7/16 in x 23 5/8 in
The red silhouette of the torso of a pregnant woman in profile, her side marked with a star and hammer and sickle and her belly emblazened with a white question mark, directs the viewer’s focus to her breasts and pregnancy bulge. Dating from 1988, the title, “Perestroika,” directly alludes to Premier Mikhail Gorbachev’s 1985 policy shift of restructing (perestoika) and openness (glasnost) in the formerly censorship heavy and closed-off Soviet government. These policies marked the start of a new period of unprecedented transparency in Soviet economic practices, international affairs, and domestic policy. The unborn child in this woman’s stomach, designated with the large question mark, highlights the uncertainty about how these policies will effect the future of the Soviet Union.
Accession Number: 2009.053.015
Item Name: Painting
Credit Line: The Ferris Russian Collection, Donated by Tom and Jeri Ferris
Collection/Series: The Ferris Russian Collection, Donated by Tom and Jeri Ferris