Libraries

In the wake of the Russian Revolution, the group “Left Front of the Arts” (“Левый фронт искусств”, “Levyi Front Iskusstv”) was formed in Moscow, bringing together creative people of the era -- avant-garde poets, writers, photographers, and filmmakers, including Vladimir Mayakovsky, Osip Brik, and others. The group’s philosophy was to re-examine the ideology of so-called leftist art, abandon individualism, and increase art’s role in building communism. The group considered itself as the only representative of revolutionary art. In 1923 they founded the journal LEF (“ЛЕФ”), which was published until 1925. In 1927, it was succeeded by Novyi LEF (“Новый ЛЕФ”) and published until 1928. In total, there were 33 issues, but that short print run inspired entire movements and artists not only in Russia, but throughout the world.