The necessity of art – New ‘In Defence of Marxism’ magazine out now!
Issue 46 of In Defence of Marxism, the quarterly theoretical journal of the Revolutionary Communist International, is now available for purchase! Get your copy today!
Art and literature
Socialism and musical innovation: The origins of the theremin
Thanks to the planned economy, the Soviet Union saw remarkable advances in science, technology, and culture. And musical innovation was no exception. The life and inventions of Leon Theremin are a testament to these achievements.
Art and the Russian Revolution
In this podcast, Nelson Wan discusses the artistic and creative emancipation unleashed by the October Revolution, which saw individual geniuses rise to prominence, and gave ordinary people access to the world of art and culture.
Obituary: Benjamin Zephaniah – “All great art is true”
Benjamin Zephaniah (1958-2023), an acclaimed British poet and political activist, passed away yesterday. Through his work, he shone a light on the injustices of capitalist society, calling for united struggle against oppression and exploitation.
Interview with communist artist Nicholas Baldion
Socialist Appeal comrade Nicholas Baldion is amongst the contenders for this year’s John Moores Painting Prize – the winner of which will be announced later this week. We spoke to Nicholas about his artistic work and his communist politics.
130 years of Mayakovsky: Art, communism, and revolution
Today marks 130 years since the birth of Vladimir Mayakovsky, the Russian artist and poet, whose works have been a consistent source of inspiration for communists. We look back at the life, ideas, and contributions of this revolutionary artist.
Art, culture, and revolution
Under capitalism, an ocean of talent is left untapped: creativity is crushed by the profit motive; and culture sector workers endure exploitation and oppression. In this talk, Joe Attard discusses the links between art, culture, and revolution.
Review: ‘Hot Off The Griddle’ – Portraits from a partisan of the oppressed
A major exhibition of self-proclaimed communist artist Alice Neel is currently on show at the Barbican Centre in London. Neel’s politically conscious portraits brilliantly bring to life the hidden history of the American working class and oppressed.
Capitalism and culture: Radical anger hits our screens
As the class struggle erupts across the world, workers’ anger towards capitalism and the bosses is increasingly finding a reflection in mainstream films and TV. But only freed from the shackles of profit can culture and creativity truly thrive.
NFTs and art under capitalism
In recent months, investors have poured money into NFTs – ‘non-fungible tokens’ – and other speculative digital assets. This is a symptom of the sickness of capitalism, and of how corrupted and commodified art has become under the profit system.
Marxism and cinema
Steve Jones discusses the role of cinema in capitalist society, and how socialism can develop this form of art to its full potential.
Arts and culture in crisis: Make the bosses pay!
Cultural institutions and venues are facing an existential threat. But the Tories have shown only callousness and contempt towards artists and the arts. Capitalism is killing our culture. We need a socialist fightback to save it.