Repin

Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks to Sultan Mehmed IV of the Ottoman Empire, 1880-91 (State Russian Museum)

Easter Procession in the District of Kursk, 1880-83 (Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow)

Repin was a leading Russian painter in the 19th century. His work concentrated quite highly on his country of origin which was the Ukrain. Much of his work portrayed the dedication that he had for his country, often showing realistic paintings of important events such as moments within the Russian revolutionary movement.

Repins paintings took years to complete and involved an unbelievable amount of talent - typical of a 'high culture' piece designed for the rich and educated - yet even with these aspects considered much of his work was much more famous through its kitch form than any other. The mass produced kitch re-productions, allowed the peasants of Russia to obtain a piece of Russian history.

"Repin heightens reality and makes it dramatic: sunset, exploding shells, running and falling men. There is no longer any question of Picasso or icons" Greenberg, C (1939) 'Avant-garde and kitch' in Harrison, C. and Wood, P. (2000) ' Art in Theory: 1980 - 1990. Oxford, Blackwell. The masters of art such as Picasso were in no way a comparison to Repin (do not mistake this as an impression that they were not actually greats), but they had a different impression of what fine art actually was. Picasso's impressionism work showed an adapted form of the world, formed of untrue geographical shapes and colours. Whereas Repin painted the truth, only what was actually there. And this is what the Russian public wanted, the truth of their country, leading to the success of Repin as a kitch artist.

Norman Rockwell - The Saturday Evening Post cover

Talking on the point of the artist Repin as a true kitch artist -

"There is no longer any question of Picasso or icons. Repin is what the peasant wants, and nothing else but Repin that the peasant is protected from the products of American capitalism, for he would not stand a chance next to a Saturday Evening Post cover by Norman Rockwell."

Greenberg, C (1939) 'Avant-garde and kitch' in Harrison, C. and Wood, P. (2000) ' Art in Theory: 1980 - 1990. Oxford, Blackwell.

Although kitch is considered to be the modern 'high culture' the text above compares firstly the works of Repin and Picasso to each other, giving the impression that the work of Picasso is fake and less in value than that of Repin. Although this is an important and quite true point in the text it then goes on to then compare the work of Repin and Norman Rockwell, and then contradicts itself by indicating that Repin is now the fake one.

The Saturday Evening Post work by Norman Rockwell shows a trueness in a kitch form, the work does not have the traditional mass produced look to it even though it is for a national newsapaper. The viewer feels a connection with the everyday scenes and as though it is them, their friend and their family portrait which should be therefore taken out of the paper and framed and put on their wall. Very kitch.

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