“Did you toil today for the Motherland, woman?”Digital illustrator Valeri Barykin of Nizhni Novgorod, Russia, creates nostalgic fantasy art by combining vintage Soviet propagandistic posters with American pinups of about the same historical era, thus filling out the blank spots in Russia’s culture, fantasizing about things that may have happened but didn’t.

While history doesn’t work in subjunctive mood, art does. Below is a selection of Cube-worthy fantasies we prepared for our readers.
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Revolutionary Art – Революционное искусство
(a truthful depiction of our daily toils at the People’s Cube)

Zina the Collective Farmer, winner of socialist competition – Наша Зина

Communal workers! Provide quality services in housing projects!

The first woman cosmonaut – Первая женщина-космонавт

Hunters! Don’t startle women! – Не вспугните женщину!

Don’t litter: treat janitorial staff with respect they deserve! – Уважайте турд уборщиц

Books are your best friends – Книга – лучшая подруга

Don’t abuse alcoholic beverages – you may have to be at the factory early in the morning! – Не злоупотребляйте спиртными напитками

You too can be a crane operator! – Крановщица

Approaching Moscow by train – Скоро Москва! Поездом.

Approaching Moscow by plane (an utterly impossible scene) – Скоро Москва! Самолетом.

Approaching Moscow by truck – Скоро Москва!

This image is different. Forget vintage pinups – The Matrix rules!
Beat the Fascist Enemy!

And, finally, a 2010 wall calendar designed for ROMEK, a Russian manufacturer of construction equipment. The calendar seems to have created a small national sensation – Календарь для ГК “Ромек”

January: Don’t waste working minutes needlessly!

February: Get up early, go to work!

March: Construction workers should not be distracted!

April: Worker! Give your wages to your wife!

May: Follow proper safety procedures while working at heights

June: Building a better future can’t wait for your headache to stop!

July: Unauthorized personnel keep off the crane during operation

August: The country needs young construction managers!

September: You are needed at the construction site!

October: Supporting the young, respecting the old. “My apprentice!”

November: Loitering at a construction site may result in an accident.

December: Did you toil today for the Motherland, woman?