Story about Samizdat Art Periodicals

Nonconformist art developed as a response to the constraints imposed by Socialist Realism. By the 1960s, Soviet artists began to find ways to express their creative freedom in a way they could not previously. Frustrated in their attempts to exhibit independently, artists turned to creating samizdat periodicals to reach more people and establish a direct and interactive dialogue with them. This story shows how nonconformist artists working in samizdat from the 1960s to the 1980s pushed the boundaries of publishing and the periodical format. Opposed by the Soviet authorities, nonconformist art nevertheless managed to grow and thrive until it was exposed to international market forces during Perestroika. This story was created by Margaryta Golovchenko with support from an undergraduate research fellowship from Victoria College's Northrop Frye Centre and a University of Toronto Excellence Award.