Culver City,
California
x
Maker: Alexandr Lozenko
Oracles
Date Made: 1991
Country: Soviet Union
Measurements: 90 cm; 35 7/16 in
The title of the painting references the ancient legend of prophets, people who could predict the future and interpret dreams. This work depicts shattered and broken pieces of monuments in a large pile with four distinct monuments visible in the wreckage. On the far left is a statue of a shadowy, hooded figure with the face obscured, perched on a rock. In the middle plane is a figure with no arms or hands, standing above a man lying down with a trumpet being blown into the air. On the far right is the largest figure, which is cut in half by the edge of the composition, of a standing man in ancient Egyptian garb. The broken and indistinguishable nature of these carvings offer a commentary on the frequent use of monuments by Communist leaders to commemorate themselves and the socialist future, all of which have been reduced to rubble.
Accession Number: 2009.053.023
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