In the Church 1922

Editor: David Burliuk’s "In the Church," painted in 1922, seems to pull the figures apart and rebuild them with sharp, geometric forms. I can definitely sense the influence of Cubism and Futurism here. What jumps out at you when you look at this piece? Curator: I’m immediately drawn to the application of the oil paint, see how Burliuk’s fractured forms also fracture our understanding of labour? The visible brushstrokes are energetic but the people become standardized and hard to identify, reducing the traditional role of art and artist in Russian society. He depicts this orthodox congregation during an era when church properties were seized by the Bolsheviks. What do the visible construction lines mean at such a sensitive time in history? Editor: That's fascinating! I was focused on the style and technique but didn’t consider how materials connect to the societal impact of this Cubo-Futurist aesthetic. Was he challenging established notions of art's function through both his choice of style and subject matter? Curator: Precisely! It isn’t simply the "what" -the orthodox church being the focus- it is more the “how”- the labour behind production, and "why" -- social transformation during an iconoclastic period that's communicated through Burliuk’s materiality. Considering the turbulent revolutionary context of 1920s Russia, does his chosen style offer a respectful observation, a critical commentary, or something else? Editor: So by analyzing the application of oil and the artistic method, we gain a richer appreciation for Burliuk’s position within a society undergoing profound change? Thank you, this reframing really helps to shed light on his technique and its broader societal context. Curator: And hopefully you’ll see more clearly the production involved and question art's reception among a wider audience, reflecting on both historical events and aesthetic experiences.