Red

The Ukrainian artist Boris Mikhailov is one of the most important photographers of the second half of the twentieth century. Mikhailov's work occupies a unique position in the relationship between serious, socially engaged documentary practice and the conceptual installation art. 'Red' is a pre-eminent example of how Mikhailov's practice bridges aspects of documentary, modernist and conceptual styles. In this installation comprising 80 photographs, the artist documents life in the Soviet Union, in and around the city of Kharkov, between 1968 and 1975, and unites each image through the consistent presence of the colour red. The use of this colour draws upon a symbolic tradition, reflecting the idea that under this totalitarian political system the ideology of communism is literally everywhere at all times. This installation was acquired with assistance from the Wolfson Foundation.