Greer is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, studying Art History and Comparative Literature. She is from New York City. Her academic journey has been shaped by an abiding interest in the cultural and historical contexts that give rise to artistic and literary expressions. As intertwined forms of human expression, Greer is interested in interdisciplinary investigations into the relationships between media, culture, and history. Her project was inspired by the class "Portraits of Soviet Society," and aims to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the complexities inherent in collective living environments. Outside of the classroom, Greer plays club soccer, is an editor at t-art magazine, tutors at the Henry Lee Elementary School, and participates in the Undergraduate Art History Advisory Board. She loves spending time with friends, trying new food, and walking around Philadelphia.
Greer Goergen
Wolf Humanities Center Undergraduate Fellow
2024—2025 Forum on Keywords
Greer Goergen
History of Art, Comparative Literature
Collectivism and Ideological Revivals: Soviet Objects, Representations, and Interiors
This paper examines the interplay between objects, space, and human relationships across various Soviet artistic mediums. Drawing on cultural artifacts and theoretical frameworks from the 1920s to the 1960s, it explores the symbolic power of objects and interiors in shaping both collective and individual identities. This project reflects on the paradoxes of Soviet collectivism, from revolutionary ideals of shared living to the re-privatization efforts during Khrushchev’s era. Through Constructivist art, advertisements, and film, the paper traces the evolution of spatial ideologies. It highlights the tension between collectivist aspirations and the realities of material scarcity, as well as the ways objects and interiors mediated relationships. By juxtaposing the radical materialist visions of the 1920s avant-garde with the consumerist and ideological anxieties of the 1960s—while also noting the return to utopian ideals—the paper reveals the ongoing negotiation of space, personhood, and identity in Soviet cultural production.