Dmitry Fedorovich Bogorodsky’s "We're on Vacation" (1972-73) is an exploration of the tension between personal freedom and societal constraints in late Soviet Russia. Completed during the Brezhnev era's period of stagnation, this enigmatic work masterfully blends elements of Soviet artistic traditions with emerging nonconformist styles, creating a visual metaphor for the complex psychological landscape of its time.
The composition is dominated by a striking orange circular table in the foreground, a bold geometric form that immediately draws the viewer's eye. This shape, along with the triangular tablecloth, directly references El Lissitzky's iconic Constructivist poster "Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge" (1919). The solitary woman, depicted as a muted silhouette, sits at the table near a small window. Her form, barely distinguishable from the subdued background, combined with the title "We're on Vacation," introduces a layer of irony that deepens the painting's impact. The confined interior space and the figure's isolation contradict the notion of a carefree holiday, suggesting a vacation that is more psychological than physical.
Bogorodsky’s use of colour and style forms a visual language that speaks to the complexities of Soviet existence. The interior scene is rendered in rich, warm tones of orange and brown, creating an atmosphere of intimacy that belies the painting's underlying tensions. The small window in the background, offering a glimpse of blue sky, becomes a powerful symbol of longing for the outside world, emphasising the contrast between the confined interior and the desire for freedom. His use of simplified forms and a restrained palette reflects the Severe Style, which emerged as a reaction against idealised Socialist Realism. However, the surreal atmosphere and subtle subversion of Soviet artistic norms align the work more closely with Nonconformism, a movement that questioned societal conventions through visual art. By invoking and connecting these different styles and periods, Bogorodsky creates a dialogue across the artistic ages.
Born in 1943 in Moscow, Dmitry Fedorovich Bogorodsky came from a distinguished artistic lineage. His father was the famed Soviet academician artist Fedor Bogorodsky, and his mother was the renowned art critic Sofya Vasilievna Razumovskaya. This background provided him with early exposure to some of the most influential figures in Soviet art, including Aleksandr Deyneka, Arkady Plastov, and Sergei Gerasimov. Bogorodsky’s work gained recognition in the late Soviet period and post-Soviet era. In 1975, he joined the Union of Artists of the USSR, later serving as Chairman of the Board for the "Association of Theater, Film and Television Artists" in 1994. He was also a member of the Union of Cinematographers of Russia and an Academician of the Nika Cinematographic Academy.
