23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Artistic
Echoes of Soviet Aesthetics

This photograph captures a Soviet-era public sculpture in Hrazdan, Armenia, highlighting its expressive monumental form and the traces of time etched into its surface. The retro visual style evokes the socialist realism aesthetic of the 20th century, emphasizing strength, collective spirit, and ideological symbolism. Through lighting and tonal contrast, the image reflects both the fading grandeur and enduring cultural memory of the era.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 09.2024
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Hrazdan, Armenia
Camera: NIKON Z 30
Copyright: © Nanncie Zhu