Soviet poster art

The Museum of Russian Icons, in Clinton, Mass., is helpfully running a new show, "Darker Shades of Red,'' that examines the   propaganda of the murderous totalitarian regime that ruled so much of  Eurasia  from 1917 to the late '80's and whose legacy of  xenophobia and  corruption still pollutes expansionist Russia, whose leaders want to re-establish the Russian Empire in updated form.

The show includes 55 original posters (translated into English) and such stuff as medals, orders, statuettes and factory banners. The posters do have a  weird beauty that goes beyond kitsch.