The pretty face of Communism: Soviet style Pin Up art

Russian Illustrator Valery Barykin successfully combines the vintage Pin Up Girls with Soviet art propaganda. Artist from Nizhny Novgorod reinterprets the poster style used to arouse Soviet citizens’ sense of civic responsibility, with Leninist literature and heavy machinery supplanted by buxom girls and booze.

"Come join us at the building site!". Workers invites a girl to become a builder. // “Soviet Pin-Up” exhibition is being showcased at Erarta Museum and Galleries of Contemporary Art, Saint Petersburg, till March, 11. There are 17 posters by Valery Barykin.

"Share your work experience with younger workmates!" // “Soviet Pin-Up,” which sees the merging of Soviet social posters with American pin-up art, is a genre that was introduced by Mr. Barykin ten years ago.

"Don't disturb while driving!" // There was no Pin Up art in Soviet times. Because of the devastation of World War II, Russian women in the '40s and '50s were taught to be tough and work hard. Russia never had the chance to enjoy the happy pin-up times of America's postwar period.

"All the salary should go straight to the wife!" // True to the nature of the good ol' days, Valery Barykin makes the pin-up girls sultry while remaining appropriate to the series.

"How did you work today?". A working man is dissatisfied with lazy girl. // The author embeds the aesthetics of the American pin-up into the Soviet social poster, where the main character is not the usual image of a builder of socialism, but a good-looking sexy girl.

"Young foreman, go to the construction site!" // Most of the pictures are made on the computer. The images of ladies were taken from real women of Nizhny Novgorod and Kirov. First they were photographed and then the images were edited according to the pin-up technoque.

"Plumber! Ensure high quality work!" // Pin Up posters by Valery Barykin is well-known in Russia. His works were exhibited in all major Russian cities alongside with the expo "Art versus Geography. The Cultural Alliance".

"Moscow is one klick away!" // Pin Up art as such was emerged in the U.S. It is the all American girl next door who was the model for literally thousands of paintings created by the great illustrators of the late 30’s, the 40’s, 50’s, & 60’s.

"En route to new successes at work!" // In the Soviet Union, social posters portraying happy citizens were used to deliver important messages, from warnings on the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption to encouraging workers to look after their tools.

This is the only poster which doesn't depict Soviet times. Iconic "Adidas" sportswear has appeared in Russia after dissolution of the USSR. // Mr. Barykin’s posters can be bought right at the exhibition, in different sizes, priced from 300 to 800 USD.