SOVIET ARCHITECTURE IN ITALY AND ITALIAN ARCHITECTURE IN USSR IN 1920-1930S: EXHIBITIONS, PUBLICATIONS, PROJECTS
Even though the art and architecture between two wars, and in particular, those, developed under dictatorship, have been studied for a long time as a social, cultural and esthetic phenomenon, the question of the direct collaboration between Italian and Russian and Soviet art and architecture is still not sufficiently explored. In fact, the researches dedicated to the “totalitarian art” are mostly focused on the similarity of ideological targets, artistic languages and administration strategies. This article has the task to bring the light to the role of architecture in the process of rapprochement of two youngest totalitarian systems in Europe - fascist in Italy and Bolshevik in Russia-USSR, showing the interactions, peculiarities, through the analysis of the perception of the Soviet architecture in Italy and vice versa. It shows that this underexplored period was in fact a period of vivid mutual interest of two cultures that was a fruit of sincere curiosity of architects and professionals from both sides. Moreover, it investigates the importance of mutual influence of two culture, divided by political controversies. The present research is based on the documents from Italian and Russian archives, Soviet and Italian magazines, newspapers of the 1920-1930s, exhibition catalogues and travelers’ memories.