page_title: Soviet Nonconformist Art
section_title: 1953 (the death of Stalin) – 1962
hierarchical_section_title: Soviet Nonconformist Art / History / 1953 (the death of Stalin) – 1962
caption_attribution_description: English: USSR stamp, Alexander Mikhaylovich Gerasimov, 1981, 4 k. Русский: Марка СССР, Александр Михайлович Герасимов, 1981, 4 коп.
context_page_description: The term Soviet Nonconformist Art refers to Soviet art produced in the former Soviet Union from 1953 to 1986 outside of the rubric of Socialist Realism. Other terms used to refer to this phenomenon are "underground art" or "unofficial art".
context_section_description: The death of Joseph Stalin in 1953, and Nikita Khrushchev's subsequent denunciation of his rule during his Secret Speech at the Twentieth Party Congress in 1956 created a "thaw"; a liberal atmosphere wherein artists had more freedom to create nonsanctioned work without fearing repercussions. Furthermore, Stalin's cult of personality was recognized as detrimental, and within weeks many paintings and busts bearing his likeness were removed from public places. Artists such as Aleksandr Gerasimov, who had made their careers painting idealized portraits of Stalin, were forced out of their official positions, as they had become embarrassing to the new leadership.
caption: USSR stamp by Aleksandr Gerasimov
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