Postcards from the Siege: Messages from the Besieged City of Leningrad

FAIN: MT-284677-22

Blavatnik Archive Foundation (New York, NY 10019-4105)
Julie Reines Chervinsky (Project Director: June 2021 to October 2024)

Creation of a prototype for a curated digital archive of postcards published and mailed during the siege of Leningrad (1941–44).

The Blavatnik Archive seeks the Digital Projects for the Public Prototyping Grant to create an immersive storytelling and “deep dive” exploration platform for our collection of postcards published and mailed during the Siege of Leningrad (1941–1944), a humanitarian disaster that took place in the Soviet Union during World War II. The project highlights multiple functions of these popular material culture artifacts , including: as objects of propaganda, as works of art and historical artifacts, and as a means of communication. This unique material offers historical and cultural data to interests in WWII, Soviet propaganda, and Soviet art; speaks to the human need for communication in times of isolation, teaches mass media critical analysis skills, and has broad audience appeal because of its striking and varied art styles. We will develop proof of concept that brings together expert analysis, innovative multimedia-based storytelling, and a visually rich, interactive digital platform.