Marius Balan

This thesis critically examines Socialist Realist graphic design as a form of political propaganda during the Stalinist era of the Soviet Union. It analyzes the strategic use of visual elements and language to construct compelling narratives that promoted the USSR’s economic achievements, asserted ideological superiority, and fostered a vision of national progress. Employing a cross-disciplinary methodology that merges formal and contextual analysis of artworks by Nina Nikolaevna Vatolina and Viktor Ivanovich Govorkov, the research explores how visual tools supported Soviet ideological goals and legitimized state power. Moreover, I engage in a creative process, culminating in the development of a personal collection of posters. These posters, inspired by artistic movements such as Socialist Realism as well as Sots Art, will serve as reinterpretations, informed by my thesis’ findings, offering a modern visual commentary on the themes of propaganda and visual persuasion.