Requiem
Date Made: 1990
Country: Soviet Union
Measurements: 90 cm x 60 cm; 35 7/16 in x 23 5/8 in
A black sketch of a hammer and sickle stands in front of the moon, its shadow carving a deep groove into the surface of the ground. The angle of the hammer and sickle to each other is different from the traditional image of this Communist symbol as the sharp right angles suggest a visual connection to a swastika. The title of the piece, “Requiem,” written in red, the only color in the work, at the bottom left of the painting, could reference either a Catholic mass for the souls of the dead or a symbol of rememberance.
Accession Number: 2009.053.090
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