Космос как эстетика? Космос в арт-проектах Москвы и Санкт-Петербурга начала XXI века

Шаги/Steps. 2021. Т. 7. № 4. С. 238–260.

Pravdyuk A.

Outer space remains an important cultural symbol in contemporary
Russia. The complicated historical heritage of this theme
evokes an interest in understanding the artistic strategies of its interpretation
and their role in the cultural process. Memorial and cultural
traditions, tendencies and their influence on the demonstration and interpretation
of outer space in temporary exhibitions of the largest art
museums in Moscow and St. Petersburg in the 2000s–2020s are analyzed
in the article. An overview of their themes and reception lets us
outline key features of representation of the cosmic in curatorial practices.
Exhibitions pursue one of the following goals —- nostalgic, prospective,
analytical, and realistic. Special attention is paid to the project
“Cosmodreams” by Marina Fedorova, an artist from Saint Petersburg.
The author analyses narrative construction, project formats, visual aesthetics,
communication strategies and the artist’s role in working with
the topic of outer space as well as the context and discourse in which the
project exists. It is concluded that in “Cosmodreams” Soviet symbolism
is eclectically combined with contemporary exposition technologies and
communication strategies, which determines the described phenomenon
of “aestheticization of memory”. Bringing visual aesthetics to the
fore and the lack of Science Art elements in interpreting the theme of
outer space in the project reduce perspectives for critical reflection and
for development of the theme in the cultural field.

Keywords: космос, выставка, исследования памяти