{"product_id":"ap_24598","title":"États-Unis : \" Liberté \" d'expression 1983","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"111\" data-end=\"639\"\u003eThis 1983 Soviet poster by \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eE. Kazhdan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e offers a sharp and ironic critique of the concept of free speech in the \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eUnited States\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e. The title \u003cstrong data-start=\"297\" data-end=\"323\"\u003e“США: «свобода» слова”\u003c\/strong\u003e translates directly as \u003cem data-start=\"347\" data-end=\"376\"\u003e“USA: ‘freedom’ of speech,”\u003c\/em\u003e with quotation marks deliberately casting doubt on the authenticity of that freedom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"641\" data-end=\"1113\"\u003eThe composition is minimal yet highly symbolic. A series of stylized ears are placed behind vertical bars, resembling prison cells. This visual metaphor suggests that instead of freely speaking, individuals are reduced to passive listeners whose ability to express themselves is constrained. Above them, a dark, looming cityscape—evoking an American metropolis—hangs like a shadow, reinforcing the idea of an oppressive environment shaped by modern urban power structures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1115\" data-end=\"1488\"\u003eThe use of monochrome tones enhances the starkness of the message. Unlike more colorful or heroic Soviet posters, this work relies on contrast and simplicity to create a sense of restriction and unease. The glowing outlines of the ears draw attention to the central idea: hearing without being able to speak, a reversal of what “freedom of speech” is supposed to represent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1490\" data-end=\"1928\"\u003eProduced during the late Cold War, the poster reflects the ongoing ideological rivalry between the Soviet Union and the West. Soviet propaganda frequently sought to expose what it portrayed as contradictions in Western democratic ideals, particularly around media control, inequality, and access to information. By focusing on “freedom of speech,” this poster challenges one of the core values associated with American political identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1930\" data-end=\"2239\"\u003eStylistically, the poster belongs to a more conceptual phase of Soviet graphic design. Rather than depicting literal scenes, it uses abstraction and metaphor to convey its argument. This approach allows for a more intellectual and interpretive reading, aligning with the evolving visual language of the 1980s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2241\" data-end=\"2549\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003eUltimately, \u003cem data-start=\"2253\" data-end=\"2275\"\u003eСША: «свобода» слова\u003c\/em\u003e transforms a political critique into a striking visual paradox. By presenting ears confined behind bars, it suggests that the promise of free expression may, in practice, be limited or controlled—offering a pointed commentary shaped by the ideological tensions of its time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginal Poster\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePropaganda - Cold War - USSR - Russia\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGood condition, one scratch\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kazhdan E.","offers":[{"title":"86 x 55 \/ B+","offer_id":53552888807751,"sku":null,"price":1200.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0564\/9275\/3081\/files\/AP_24598Insta2.jpg?v=1776349921","url":"https:\/\/galerie1881.fr\/en\/products\/ap_24598","provider":"Galerie 1881","version":"1.0","type":"link"}