Dealing with the past through art

This contribution is devoted to the trajectory Russian art has taken after the events of 24 February 2022 and in particular to Matvei Kaif (b. Matvei Shapiro, 1987), with specific reference to his series of little “houses”. In historiographic terms, the relevance of Kaif’s poetics is discussed against the background of previous artistic experiences, namely those of Ilya and Emilia Kabakov. Arguably, this comparison shows how Kaif’s audacious vision has inherited the lesson of Moscow Conceptualism while renewing its language and adapting it to our times. Kaif’s fresh, immediate visual grammar thus opens an important window on the ways in which art negotiates the past and identity, ultimately offering useful insights into Russia today. In this respect, the projects developed with the artist Ėlia Vinokurova (who is also his wife) prove particularly illuminating. This research makes use of original, previously unpublished material.