Part 7
Looking back, one can conclude that the artworld and philosophical aesthetics are politically bankrupt, mostly due to elitism and exclusivism. However, there is a radical movement - Aktionkunst/Акциони́зм - that attempts to directly challenge the oppressive powers exercised by theocratic, imperialist, and other cannibalistic regimes, pulled toward total servitude and self-destruction. In this class, we'll take a look at and learn from the key luminaries in Russian Actionism. First, a pioneering collective Война/War, followed by its offspring - Pussy Riot, and then, of course, today's most prominent figure - Petr Pavlensky, who has been able to counterbalance the idiocy and crimes of Russian and - now - French politics, practically at the expense of his own “well-being”, and yet in disturbingly inspiring ways!
Materials borrowed:
Paul C. Taylor's "Dark Futures" @ Royal Institute of Philosophy (2023)
Pyotr Pavlensky | Crash Test (trailer) (2023)
Kurara - It's a Standard Russian Riot, Sister! (2021) / Курара - СРБ / see: https://www.youtube.com/@UCcnBwSMzLCjFLYvuufgqfTA / buy: https://music.apple.com/ru/song/%D1%81%D1%80%D0%B1/1554060713
Andrey Tarkovsky's Sacrifice (1986)
Jungle Book - Trust in Me (1967)