USSR - Original Painting

“USSR”  40” X 30” X 2” Mixed Media on a Cradled Wood Panel, Framed

"The Ukraine girls really knock me out
They leave the West behind
And Moscow girls make me sing and shout
That Georgia's always on my mind." - The Beatles

USSR presents a composed assembly of four figures.  Behind them, a rust-hued wall, textured and marked with rivets, contains subtle references—a faint hammer and sickle—that ground the scene in a historical and symbolic dimension.

Inspired by the upbeat yet ironic tone of The Beatles’ “Back in the USSR,” the painting captures a blend of nostalgia and cultural commentary. The song’s mix of Western pop energy and references to Soviet imagery informs the tension between vibrant color and restrained, angular form in the work. This juxtaposition reflects on ideas of identity, displacement, and the complexity of cultural echoes, translating the song’s playful but pointed spirit into a visual arrangement of figures and symbols.

This piece is part of my ongoing exploration of "Faces and Facades," a series of mixed media paintings where people and places intertwine, with architecture serving as a vessel for unseen narratives. Inspired by a character from a Beatles songs, each work aims to evoke the stories and emotions hidden beneath the surface, inviting viewers to look beyond the obvious and discover the deeper layers within.

This painting is also available as a canvas print

My mixed media paintings consist of acrylic paint and digital collage. They are painted on museum quality archival paper and then laminated to a cradled wood panel, varnished, waxed and then framed in a black floater frame.

About the Artist

Frank Trocino is a retired architect turned painter currently residing in Santa Fe New Mexico. His path to Santa Fe began in New York, then to Oregon as a young child through College. From there he lived in Italy, Los Angeles, the Middle East, Portland, and Austin. Franks work can be seen in galleries, hotels, and the homes of private collectors internationally. He is a mixed media artist using acrylic paint, ink and collage and his subject matter is primarily people and buildings.