Socialist fraternal kiss (2017)

For the artist, the choky atmosphere of socialism is iconically represented in the tradition of the Socialist Fraternal Kiss abstract painting - the emblematic act of greeting for the communists. This tradition is quite shocking for the western mentality, which is very cautious about treating one’s physical space. Such forced demonstration of power by invading one’s physical space causes nothing but the feeling of disguise. Violating and even denying the very existence of private borders of people was typical for socialism. And to express it visually, the artist intentionally stresses the turmoil of the oil painting ’s design.

Usually keeping the texture of figures laconic in opposition to the emotionally rendered surrounding, this time the artist allows the painterly ‘disturbance’ inside the geometric shapes as well. Dots, lines, and careless brushstrokes create the noise to distract the attention from the outline and flatness of the oil painting ’s surface. Our eyes are forced to wander longer across the image; and as we reach the top part of the abstract painting, one will notice the likeness of two kissing faces in the tangle of lines. The faces are heavily stylized and remind African masks - a nearly demonic attribute, which inspired the great masters of the 20th century, like Picasso and Matisse. And after that our brain immediately rearranges the seeming disorder of the drawing into hands, bodies of the ‘personages,’ and decodes the drama.

The Socialist Fraternal Kiss by Gheorghe Virtosu turns into the kiss of Judas, as the embrace of the red-colored figure (red - a common symbol of Communism) occurs to be the yellow ‘snake’ with silvery scales on the ‘skin.’ The ‘snake’ enlaces the deceived victim, the same way the USSR was taking over their ‘partners’ under the mask of friendliness. Hence, Socialist Fraternal Kiss is the loud warning against the nostalgia about the USSR and ideas of socialism.