Artists on the Move: Transnational and Transcultural Perspectives on Migration from the (former) Russian Empire, 1880–1939
The conference will be held online on 7–8 March 2024.
The twentieth century was marked by several significant migratory flows from the Russian Empire and its successor states, which resulted in many artists living and working abroad. These diverse artistic relocations were already present at the turn of the century and increased drastically after the Russian Revolutions of 1905 and 1917, as well as the Civil War of 1917–1922. These migratory flows were fundamentally impacted by socio-political factors and largely comprised of artists who opposed either the Tsarist or the Soviet regimes on the basis of their ideological, national, or religious views. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has emphasized the ever-present political dimension that shapes migration processes, either as a reason for relocation, in the choice of destination/transit country, and in the activities and/or activism at the new place of residence. Furthermore, it has added a new urgency to the already existing need to reconsider the concept of “Russian emigration,” as much as the problematic terms: “Russian artist” or “Russian avant-garde.”
The conference aims to illuminate the national, ethnocultural and religious diversity of the migrant artists in order to deconstruct the homogenizing perception of this phenomenon as solely Russian or Russian-speaking. It seeks to rethink, redefine, differentiate, and ultimately better understand the complex phenomenon of migration from the Russian empire and its successor states. By decentering research perspectives and actively adopting a decolonial framework, the aim is to challenge both the Russo-centric narratives that still dominate art historiography on the subject and the Eurocentric concept of “modernism” more broadly.
To participate please register in advance: https://nus-sg.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LsW0fzeYRcKRHx_SRi-FEg
The programm of the event can be found here: https://www.hsozkult.de/event/id/event-142408
OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
Natalia Arzamastseva (February 28, 2024). Artists on the Move: Transnational and Transcultural Perspectives on Migration from the (former) Russian Empire, 1880–1939. Max Weber Stiftung - Büro Georgien. Retrieved June 16, 2026 from https://mwsgeorgien.hypotheses.org/4079


