<HTML> My only critcism of this work by Neizvestny is that he got the symbolism of the colors black and white backward. CB <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Date: Thu, 6 Mar 2003 06:52:44 -0800 (PST) From: andie nachgeborenen <andie_nachgeborenen@yahoo.com> * * * Khrushchev's monument was designed by an artist [Ernst Neizvestny] that old Nikita hated, but his family was so impressed with the creation that they went along with it. The black side of this monument depicts the darkness or evil part of Khrushchev's life and the white represents the good side of him. The two interlink to show how the good   and bad blended in his life. The bronze bust of him is between the two (black and white; good and bad) to show how he, personally, was caught in between  them. clip-    Describing the concept for the tombstone Neizvestny said:    "In a philosophical sense life itself is based on an antagonism between two principles, one is bright, progressive, dynamic; the other is dark reactionary, static.  One strains to move forward, the  other pulls back.  This basic idea fits Nikita Sergeievich's image quite well.  He began to lead our country out o the darkness and he exposed Stalin's crimes.  The dawn broke for all of us, heralding the immanent rise of the sun.  The light began to dispel the darkness.     This is reflected in the tombstone.  The main component is white marble, its dynamic form bearing down on black granite.  The  darkness resists, struggles, refuses to yield, as with the man himself. It is no accident that the head is on a white pedestal, or that the background remains dark.  In the upper corner of the white  is a symbolic representation of the sun.  Rays extend down from it dispelling darkness.  </BLOCKQUOTE> </HTML>