Russian Art & Culture Reconsidered

Russian Art & Culture Reconsidered began as the Russian Art & Culture Group in 2014. It was and is a platform for discussing various aspects of Imperial Russian and Soviet visual arts, music, and literature. Based at Constructor University Bremen (formerly Jacobs University Bremen) and headed by Prof. Dr. Isabel Wünsche, it brings together scholars and young researchers from East and West.

Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine led to a reevaluation of the group’s name and aims, rereading Russo-centric narratives. This shift in our thought process was initially indicated by a question mark behind the word “Russian” – Russian(?) Art & Culture Group. Inspired by the lively discussions during the Tenth Graduate Workshop, we decided in December 2024 to rename the group to “Russian Art & Culture Reconsidered” (RACR).

We hope to contribute to a critical reevaluation of this research field, highlighting that this is an ongoing process. More specifically, the new name reflects the processes of reevaluating the various cultures in the territory of the former Soviet Union, and critically investigating the blind spots and marginalized areas of Imperial Russian and Soviet art and culture – phenomena, artists, and institutions that have previously been neglected.

Starting in 2014, graduate students affiliated to the Russian Art & Culture Group organized ten graduate workshops in Bremen and Berlin. During the workshops, young and advanced international researchers participated in stimulating and interesting discussions and shared their academic endeavours with each other. The RACR group will proceed with organizing workshops and publishing its outcomes, as well as expanding its network by inviting new participants. Henceforth, we would like to test new formats of collaborative work (e.g. online seminars and reading groups) to identify relevant topics and encourage conversation, exchange, and further investigation.

If you are interested in the group’s activities or wish to join us, we invite you to contact us, subscribe to our mailing list, and explore our website.

You may start with discovering the story behind our logo…