Time after Time: Temporalities of a Socialist Realism in a Former East Berlin Neighborhood

Following the Second World War, German cities would be transformed by urban planning mandates that sought to create a new East German identity through public art and architecture. Initially, these followed a Socialist Realist doctrine largely dictated by the Soviet Union. However, even as the Soviet Union softened its stance, the style of Socialist Realism persisted in the GDR, and became instrumental in shaping a unique architectural and artistic identity. The author investigates Socialist Realist statues as art objects created when the GDR sought to develop its own socialist identity, but which continue to offer promise in shaping Berlin’s landscape, having outlived state socialism following German reunification. Engaging with Ruth Levitas’ concept of “utopia as method,” as well as Tim Ingold’s notion of a “temporal landscape,” allows the author to approach socialist realist monuments as objects that can generate alternative ideas about society, identifying potential avenues for change.

ARTMargins, Volume 15, Issue 2, pp. 46-68.

doi:10.1162/ARTM.a.375

https://direct.mit.edu/artm/article/15/2/46/137307/Time-after-Time-Temporalities-of-a-Socialist

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