Art and Politics (3) Russian Art: Activism and War

It is difficult to think of Russian art without considering politics. The 20th-century Russian avant-garde was a movement born out of people’s dissatisfaction with the imperial political system and their desire to realize a new utopia, the Soviet Union. On February 24th, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. There had already been many artists who, through artistic activism, had tried to engage with society by pointing out the regime’s corruption and the indifference of the people, but now that the war has started, there are many more opportunities for ordinary citizens to stand in the streets with posters, group together to form the Z symbol in public, and use performance to express their opinions about the state. What does war change in people? With Russian literature scholar Yoko Ueda, we consider Russian anti-establishment art, from Pussy Riot to current wartime street art.

Guest: Yoko Ueda (Russian Literature Specialist / Russian Language Interpreter and Translator)
Host: Naoto Moriyama (Theater Critic)