Iskusstvo. Vestnik otdela izobrazitel'nykh iskusstv narodnogo Komissariata po prosveshcheniiu (Art: Bulletin of the Department of Visual Arts in the People's Commissariat for Enlightenment) is a critical historical document produced by Vasily Kandinsky in 1919. This complete set of eight issues constitutes a vital periodical that served as the official mouthpiece for the Department of Visual Arts (IZO Narkompros) during the turbulent early years following the Russian Revolution. As a form of official publication, the bulletin features numerous reproductions, primarily utilizing line block printing, which allowed for the economical and widespread dissemination of visual information and theory.
The publication originated during a pivotal moment for the Russian avant-garde, where artists like Kandinsky sought to redefine the purpose of art, public engagement, and art education under the new political system. As a leading figure in the Visual Arts Section, Kandinsky utilized the bulletin to disseminate revolutionary ideas about art structure, theory, and the role of the artist in the nascent Soviet state. The very structure of the publication underscores its purpose as an informational tool, blurring the line between administrative record and aesthetic manifesto.
Although the work is formally classified as French Culture in the museum records, the substance reflects the foundational struggles and ideological debates within the Soviet art bureaucracy that dominated the period of 1919 (published 1920). The inclusion of various prints and graphic reproductions—documenting exhibitions, projects, and educational schemas—served to democratize artistic discourse and assert the role of abstract and revolutionary art as state-supported endeavors. This rare set is classified as a print, reflecting its nature as a mass-produced, informational medium intended for wide circulation. Documenting the official activities and aesthetic theories promoted by Kandinsky’s department before his eventual move to Germany, the work remains crucial for understanding the intersection of modernism and politics. This significant collection resides in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
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