The subject of this design, expressed by its title “Let’s Build the Dirigible Fleet in Lenin’s Name,” offers a montage of photograph and photo realistic drawing. Using the near deified “Father of the Revolution” as its driving inspiration, this poster motivates workers to work together to achieve new heights of achievement. The Department for Agitation and Propaganda produced such work, called agitprop (agitation propaganda), as a government tool to disseminate information to the masses. This design was created in 1931 during Stalin’s First Five-Year Plan, a Lenin-inspired drive to modernize the country and equalize the people. In 1931, 30 electric power stations came online, extinguishing the torch-lit dark ages by bringing electricity to millions of people for the first time. Poster propaganda was especially effective due to much illiteracy. My research failed to locate Information about the Constructivist designer, P. Miziakin, although I did come across one other work credited to him, 1923 Calendar (March and April), a very ambitious and busy piece celebrating industrialization (Lenin died in 1924).

Image Elements:

• A gradient orange background moves up the canvas, from lighter to darker.
• Eight drawn light gray dirigibles can be seen ascending to the right. Each features a red star on the tail fins and a name towards the front in red. “Lenin,” “Stalin,” “Pravda” (truth) and “Bolshevik” are among the names large enough to be read.
• A drawn broadcast tower topped with a red flag (possibly emblazoned with CCCP) rises in the left.
• A large photo figure of Lenin occupies the lower right (but his head is “above the fold”). His right arm extends upward and his palm faces down, in a Roman salute.
• Across the poster’s bottom third over 30 photo-realistic drawings of human heads represent the Bolsheviks. The two most prominent ones hold poles upon which a banner (“Let’s Build the Fleet”) is hoisted. Some echoing heads in the back right of the group imply a throng.

Lenin’s outstretched right arm (and hand) serves as the poster’s focal point, and contrast between the Lenin photographic image and the other drawn images offers further emphasis. As the central element, both literally by its placement as well as figuratively, it starts a chain of continuation. The eye travels from his hand to the tower and up to the top dirigible. Repeating dirigibles below lead the eye back down the right side to Lenin and his left arm and fist. The fist brings the eye to the red-bannered slogan and to the mass of comrades filling the image’s bottom.

The continuity of this figure does not conform to a conventional grid. Lines are on the diagonal in this intentionally asymmetric work, causing an unusual and slightly off balance feel. The image appears to lean left, but the dirigibles floating upward and onward, even off the page, right its appearance. Taken as a whole, the balance works out, but still inspires some restlessness, as agitprop is wont to do.

The artist’s use of color balances the weight of the images: lighter in the top two-thirds and darker in the bottom third. Visual rhythm in this image is achieved by the masses on the march and by the fleet of dirigibles filling the sky. Patterns repeat in the heads of the comrades, in the oblong blimps, in the red stars of the blimp tail fins, in the triangles of the radio tower and in the three rectangular banners. The proximity of all the heads implies both masses and unity of people.

From what I’ve read about this agitprop movement and the Soviet Union at the time leads me to believe that this artist was helping his government communicate a message to the people: work hard for the state and the state will work hard for you. Lenin, who would become a figure of near-religious stature to the people, is shown here larger than life, a strong yet paternal figure inspiring and lifting the people below him to achieve new heights of achievement. Many of the heads are smiling and laughing, as if they were partaking in a block party, instead of a party march.

The gradient orange of the canvas seems to indicate a new dawn for the people and country. Other dominating images include blimps on the rise, a tall communications towers and a godlike leader symbolizes forward movement, upward mobility and a utopian vision for all.

After all that, I find it a bit ironic that the dirigibles, representing cutting edge technology in a vast land (and perhaps a goal of air dominance), would become near obsolete in rapid fashion.

While I’m not particularly drawn to the asymmetry, color and, frankly, the design of this work, I can see how such a poster could help motivate its audience to the desired action. Besides the mass of people supporting their motivating force, I think the strongest element is the sky filled with blimps. That would be quite an impressive sight were one witnessing it. The artist’s inclusion of the crowd of comrades is particularly sharp. Such an element, from a design view, could be easily overlooked but it’s especially effective, especially with a sea of happy faces endorsing the way ahead.