Dissensus in post-2012 Russian art: self-perceptions vis-à-vis the West

Abstract

This research looks into the dissensus in post-2012 Russian art, particularly music and performance art. The goal of the study is twofold. First it attempts to reveal the main Russian identity patterns as presented by the non-conformist artists. Second, it tries to reveal how these artists depict the Russian identity in regard to the West. To that end, the thesis employs the concept of dissensus introduced by Jacques Rancière (2010), which is the indirect dispute with the established framework of the consensus or the hegemonic discourse defining what is taken for granted and viewed as ‘the proper’. The selected sample of artworks is analysed using the Making Identity Count inductive discourse analysis method to recover the relatively stable national identity discourses. Nevertheless, this research uses it as an efficient tool for revealing the identity patterns that guide the meaning creation process of the selected dissident artists. The main conclusions of the research are as follows. The dissensus in post- 2012 contemporary Russian art deconstructs the hegemonic identity patterns opening opportunities for potential new identifications. The research also shows that the West – Russia identity dichotomy is not relevant as depicted in the selected sample of artworks. Moreover, among the selected dissident artists this dichotomy is subjected to constructive criticism.