The Total Art of Stalinism

From the ruins of communism, Boris Groys emerges to provoke our interest in the aesthetic goals pursued with such catastrophic consequences by its founders. Interpreting totalitarian art and literature in the context of cultural history, this brilliant essay likens totalitarian aims to the modernists’ goal of producing world-transformative art. In this new edition, Groys revisits the debate that the book has stimulated since its first publication.“This is not just a book, but an event ... The Total Art of Stalinism is an intellectual landmark.”—Art Bulletin

“Art and the celebration of power all too often coincide, and the controversial message here is that artists, for all their insights into the human condition, can make a hash of society as completely as the most cynical of politicians.”—Boston Globe

“One of the most astute commentators on the art scene today.”—New Left ReviewBoris Groys is Professor of Aesthetics, Art History, and Media Theory at the Center for Art and Media Technology in Karlsruhe, and since 2005, the Global Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Arts and Science, NYU. He has published numerous books including The Total Art of Stalinism, Ilya Kabakov: The Man Who Flew into Space from His Apartment, Art Power, and The Communist Postscript.