P32 - Art-Historical and Contextual Research of Ida Belyakov a's The Return Of The Communist Party Membership Card — Presentation Detail — Celebration of Scholars

Additional Information

More information is available at carthage.edu/celebration-scholars/. The following are members of the Research, Scholarship, and Creativity Committee who are eager to listen to ideas and answer questions:

Thomas Carr
Katherin Hilson
Kim Instenes
John Kirk
Sarah Terrill

P32 - Art-Historical and Contextual Research of Ida Belyakov a's The Return Of The Communist Party Membership Card

Name: Jared Werner
Major: Political Science
Hometown: Hoffman Estates
Faculty Sponsor: Robin Holmes
Other Sponsors:
Type of research: SURE
Funding: SURE

Abstract

Thesis: My objective with this research was to bring bring attention to artists who are not well known within the collection and to understand the artists motive behind the work as well as Develop what we know about the Soviet art collection here at Carthage

ABSTRACT: A brief look into "The Return of the Communist Card" and the creator Ida Belyakova, a Jewish artist who lived through the start of the Bolshevik Revolution and the rise of communism in Eastern Europe. Belyakova's painting depicts two men with a Communist Party membership card, exploring themes of identity, loyalty, and political submission within the rigid structure of Soviet society. The piece is notable for its ambiguity—suggesting both a return to the Party and the potential for resistance. The artist's decision to title the work in a way that invites multiple interpretations raises essential questions about censorship and the role of Soviet artists in navigating ideological constraints.

Poster file

Submit date: March 17, 2025, 9:44 a.m.