Frenemy Moments: Soviet-American Conversations in Cold War Photographs

Showcasing fifteen historical photographs from the period of the Cold War, the exhibition focuses on the complex engagement between the two major powers: the US and the USSR, that went beyond hostile rhetoric and deep-seated mistrust. A 1974 summit of Soviet leader Brezhnev and President Ford, a Pepsi-Cola factory in southern Russia, paintings from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Moscow – these historical moments signaled to both nations: “Relax, work is being done to avoid a nuclear war.” While certain political forces in both countries incited ideological rivalry and antagonism, other trends steered international politics towards peaceful exchanges and cultural dialogues. Each of these rare photographs features citizens from both the USSR and the US in a friendly encounter. They show that even during the height of the arms and space races, conflicts can be managed and a conversation is possible.