Anatoly Yuryevich Shcherbinin's "On the Turn" (1960s) is an exploration of motion and dynamism in sport. This work reflects the Soviet artistic principle that "art belongs to the people," a concept attributed to Vladimir Lenin in 1920 during a conversation with Clara Zetkin. This idea became a guiding philosophy in communist society, emphasising that art should be deeply rooted in the experiences and aspirations of the working masses. Sport, as a cornerstone of Soviet life, embodied the collective spirit and physical prowess that the state sought to cultivate in its citizens.
Shcherbinin presents a group of cyclists navigating a sharp turn, their forms melding into a fluid, circular composition that conveys a powerful sense of kinetic energy. The painting is dominated by a sweeping curve that pulls the viewer's eye into the heart of the action. Drawing inspiration from the Futurist aesthetic, particularly Giacomo Balla's studies of motion, Shcherbinin's bold, expressive brushstrokes and heavily stylized approach to form create a sense of fluidity. The cyclists are rendered in simplified, almost abstract forms, their bodies leaning into the turn as a unified mass, emphasising the shared momentum of the peloton and reflecting the Soviet ideal of collective effort.
Shcherbinin's use of a muted colour palette, primarily consisting of soft earth tones and pale blues, creates a dreamlike quality which marks a significant departure from the rigid constraints of Socialist Realism that had long dominated Soviet art. This stylistic shift reflects the broader changes occurring in Soviet art during the 1960s, as artists began to push against the constraints of state-approved aesthetic norms, going beyond idealised depictions of leaders and workers to showcase real-world life, albeit with Soviet state undertones. Shcherbinin brings this principle to life, creating a work that is at once accessible, avant-garde and state approved.
Born in Moscow in 1937, Anatoly Yuryevich Shcherbinin graduated from the Moscow Secondary Art School affiliated with the Surikov Institute before completing his studies at the art and graphic design department of the Moscow State Pedagogical Institute. As a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR, Shcherbinin worked alongside his brother Vladimir at the Institute of Technical Aesthetics, where their innovative approach to design extended beyond the canvas. The brothers gained widespread recognition among DIY enthusiasts as pioneers in creating the country's first amateur automobiles with original plastic bodywork, a pursuit that clearly influenced Shcherbinin's artistic sensibilities.
