Devastated Utopias, or How to Leave a Legacy: Communist Art & Personality Cults in 20th Century Russia, China and Cambodia

The rise of Marxist regimes altered the stylistic course and purpose of art. Although a new style, Socialist Realism, was formed to reflect communism\u27s visual intentions, this style borrowed and adapted older artistic traditions to increase the reception and understanding of new communist ideologies. The artistic blend of old and new also reflected a trend within communist leadership; Stalin and Mao particularly came to resemble powerful monarchs of the previous imperial eras. Although greatly influenced by Maoist thought, the Khmer Rouge communist regime contrasts both the Chinese and Soviet model by producing an extremely low amount of art and shrouding its leadership with secrecy. Contemporary art produced after communist decline or demise reflects a collective loss of identity coupled with new ironic visions of a societal utopia