 In 1937 , Lissitzky served as the lead decorator for the upcoming All @-@ Union Agricultural Exhibition , reporting to the master planner Vyacheslav <unk> but largely independent and highly critical of him . The project was plagued by delays and political interventions . By the end of 1937 the " apparent simplicity " of Lissitzky 's artwork aroused the concerns of the political supervisors , and Lissitzky responded : " The simpler the shape , the finer precision and quality of execution required ... yet until now [ the working crews ] are instructed by the foremen ( <unk> and <unk> ) , not the authors " ( i.e. Vladimir <unk> , author of the Central Pavilion , and Lissitzky himself ) . His artwork , as described in 1937 proposals , completely departed from the modernist art of the 1920s in favor of socialist realism . The iconic statue of Stalin in front of the central pavilion was proposed by Lissitzky personally : " this will give the square its head and its face " ( Russian : <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> и <unk> и <unk> ) . 
