Bodies in Formation

May 23, 2004 5:35 AM

Dsicipline, Strength, Beauty, Youth 'Bodies in Formation' is a wonderful exhibition of photographs and ephemera, that illustrates Soviet-era mass gymnastics displays in eastern Europe. Via plep.
posted by carter (7 comments total)

Interesting, but perhaps even more interestingly, the content was presented horizontal scrolling without it sucking terribly (or at all, for that matter). High marks for content and layout, thanks for the link.
posted by fvw at 6:09 AM on May 23, 2004

fascistastic : >
posted by amberglow at 7:07 AM on May 23, 2004

Lenny Bruce once said that Communism was like living in one great big phone company. He was wrong. Apparently, it's was like one big high school gym class.

Fitness nazis are irritating enough when they're just coming from the media. I can only imagine if they were working for the state.

Well done presentation, though.
posted by jonmc at 7:55 AM on May 23, 2004

Some nice (but small) images. I was unaware that beauty is exclusively feminine and strength exclusively masculine. Live and learn.
posted by squirrel at 10:05 AM on May 23, 2004

Good God do I miss Plep's posts. Carter, thanks for the post and for alerting me that Plep got a blog....
posted by anastasiav at 12:02 AM on May 24, 2004

If those photos were not period, I would swear they were digitally manipulated.

It is hard to imagine actually witnessing a scene such as some of those.

Entire parade grounds covered with synchronized writhing bodies.

If their schools were this disciplined, imagine how disciplined their militaries must have been.
posted by Ynoxas at 8:28 PM on May 24, 2004

Once the body was docile and legible, the society represented by several thousand of trainees was also subjected to similar technique. ... Paradoxically, every gymnast thus stood in front of the tribune both alone, without any natural link to his colleagues trainees, and in indefinite masses, ready to fulfill the wise and courageous plans of the leadership

Wow. Thank goodness we don't do that in the West.

With gymnastics, I mean. With ideology, we seem to be doing pretty well.
posted by yhbc at 8:40 PM on May 24, 2004