AKhRR

Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia (from 1928—Association of Artists of the Revolution, AKhR); a mass association of artists that played an important role in the unification of Soviet artists and in the popularization of art among the masses. It was founded in 1922. The members of the association, who were inspired by the traditions of the peredvizhniki (members of the Society of Wandering Exhibitions), strove to create an art that the people could understand and that would truthfully reflect Soviet reality. They advanced the slogans of artistic “documentalism” and of “heroic realism.” The members of AKhRR, along with developing realist traditions and heroic-romantic aspirations, at times betrayed the tendency toward a mere description of life and naturalism. Leading roles in AKhRR were played by F. S. Bogorodskii, I. I. Brodskii, A. M. Gerasimov, M. B. Grekov, B. V. Iogan-son, N. A. Kasatkin, E. A. Katsman, S. V. Maliutin, G. G. Riazhskii, S. V. Riangina, E. M. Cheptsov, P. M. Shukh-min, B. N. Iakovlev, and others. AKhRR had about 40 branches in the RSFSR and in other republics and published the journal Iskusstvo ν massy (Art to the Masses, 1929–30). It organized about 70 exhibitions in Moscow and in other cities. It functioned until 1932.