The genres of the absurd and grotesque are prominent in artistic and literary representations of state socialism. In the paper being discussed at this event, Svetlana Stephenson argues that these genres are also present in the storytelling of (ex)Soviet citizens, through their diaries and oral history accounts. For example, the narratives of extra-judicial shaming rituals (prorabotka meetings) often reveal the…

Join us for the closing reception for our exhibit The Untold Stories of Russian History, featuring a dialogue between the artist Mikhail Magaril and his friend Michael Weintraub, a connoisseur of rare books and works on paper. The event will also feature a display of Magaril’s original artist’s books, including Doctors’ Plot, Lullaby, Alphabet and others. The Untold Stories of Russian History consists of twenty-three original works, including painting,…