History of Russian Video Art. Volume 2

The best works made during the passage from Soviet to post-Soviet era

Some 40 video works (single-channel videos, multi-channel installations, interactive installations, video sculptures), representing the best of the Russian production made in the crucial decade of passage from Soviet to post-Soviet are on display at the premises of the Moscow Museum of Modern Art at Ermolaevsky Lane, from March 26 to May 3, in the second volume of a three-part exhibition, titled History of Russian Video Art.

The Volume 2 includes a section dedicated to the critical analysis of the very first video works made in Russia, which were exhibited in Volume 1. According to curator Antonio Geusa, this part explains in simple words why video is important in contemporary culture and what contribution each single work gives to the art discourse.

History of Russian Video Art. Volumes 1, 2, 3 is a large-scale project offering a comprehensive overview of the evolution of video art in Russia since its origins in the mid-1980s till today. Volume 1 opened in January 2007 and covered the very early years of video as an art practice in Russia (1985-1999). The second part presents the period of full acceptance and maturity of video art (1995-2005) and the third, planned to open in spring 2010, will deal with the most recent production (2000-2010).

In its essence, this is an educational project because it allows the audience to get acquainted with a part of the history of Russian contemporary art which is still not well known in Russia, though its culture relevance is of primary importance.

Since its birth about 40 years ago in the United States, video art has grown to become the leading genre in today’s art production and the one that best allows to integrate art into the world context, rather than a regional one. In Russia, video art appeared at the same time when contemporary art emerged from the semi-clandestine status of the underground and was shown in the first independent contemporary art spaces.

Video art was new the same way the concept of contemporary art was new for the wider public in Russia; it had no tradition to revolt against or to conform with. It was the territory of pure experimentation and was not influenced by the commercial strategies of the art market. In other words, it was the medium of total freedom through which artists could speak up their minds and give voice to their inner feelings. Through the years, progressively becoming more multifaceted, video art kept giving an uncompromised reflection of the true picture of the artist.