Spite to the Motherland
Spite to the Motherland
Spite to the Motherland
"Mother Kolyma, don’t destroy me."
Kolyma is a historical region that became a "pole of cold and cruelty" in the Gulag system, as described by Solzhenitsyn.
Kolyma is a historical region that became a "pole of cold and cruelty" in the Gulag system, as described by Solzhenitsyn.
"A snarl at the authorities."
"Оскал" (snarl) refers to a type of prison tattoo that depicts the snarling mouth of a tiger, wolf, or bear, and later, it was used to portray a defaced portrait of the head of state or other government representatives from the Central Committee (LIK). Snarls are primarily associated with the anti-Soviet sentiments of prisoners. Therefore, the snarl is embroidered over the Ekibastuz quarry, where a strike of prisoners occurred, well-known from the third volume of Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s "The Gulag Archipelago."
"Оскал" (snarl) refers to a type of prison tattoo that depicts the snarling mouth of a tiger, wolf, or bear, and later, it was used to portray a defaced portrait of the head of state or other government representatives from the Central Committee (LIK). Snarls are primarily associated with the anti-Soviet sentiments of prisoners. Therefore, the snarl is embroidered over the Ekibastuz quarry, where a strike of prisoners occurred, well-known from the third volume of Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s "The Gulag Archipelago."
"А.Л.Ж.И.Р."
stands for "Акмолинский лагерь жён изменников Родины" in Russian, which can be roughly translated to "Aktyubinsk Camp for Wives of Traitors to the Motherland." It was an informal name for the 17th female camp special department of the Karaganda Corrective Labor Camp in the Akmolinsk region of Kazakhstan (1938−1953). The camp often referred to as "АЛЖИР" or "ALZHIR" by the inmates themselves, was located in the midst of the Kazakh steppe and housed the widows of those who were executed as "traitors to the motherland" in 1937.
stands for "Акмолинский лагерь жён изменников Родины" in Russian, which can be roughly translated to "Aktyubinsk Camp for Wives of Traitors to the Motherland." It was an informal name for the 17th female camp special department of the Karaganda Corrective Labor Camp in the Akmolinsk region of Kazakhstan (1938−1953). The camp often referred to as "АЛЖИР" or "ALZHIR" by the inmates themselves, was located in the midst of the Kazakh steppe and housed the widows of those who were executed as "traitors to the motherland" in 1937.
"The Dead Road"
The Transpolar Railway, also known as the Stalinist "Construction of the Century," was a railway line along the Arctic Circle that turned out to be unnecessary. It was constructed by inmates (known as "zeki") from 1947 to 1953 under a shroud of complete secrecy. According to some estimates, around 300,000 prisoners were involved in the construction of the Transpolar Railway and every third person died there, on the construction site.
The Transpolar Railway, also known as the Stalinist "Construction of the Century," was a railway line along the Arctic Circle that turned out to be unnecessary. It was constructed by inmates (known as "zeki") from 1947 to 1953 under a shroud of complete secrecy. According to some estimates, around 300,000 prisoners were involved in the construction of the Transpolar Railway and every third person died there, on the construction site.
The acronym "СЛОН" is, а common tattoo in Russia, which originally stood for "Соловецкий Лагерь Особого Назначения" (Solovetsky Special Purpose Camp), the first camp in the history of the Gulag. Over time, the historical significance of the tattoo was forgotten and replaced with "Смерть Легавым OT Ножа" (Death to Legavys from a Knife). In this new meaning, the tattoo became associated with the "otryadki" or "otrizki," a caste of prisoners who refused cooperation with the authorities.
The acronym "БAPC" is also associated with a negative attitude towards any cooperation with prison authorities. It stands for "Бей Актив Реж Сук," where "Актив" and "Суки" refer to castes of prisoners who assist the prison administration.
"Death to the prosecutor."
This phrase is a tattoo of uncertain pre-revolutionary origin.
This phrase is a tattoo of uncertain pre-revolutionary origin.
In this pair, two of Russia’s oldest and most famous prisons are represented, Vladimir Central and Butyrka. They are known for housing political prisoners from one regime to another.
The first prison, Vladimir Central, housed spies, saboteurs, terrorists, Trotskyists, Mensheviks, Social Revolutionaries, anarchists, nationalists, and White emigrants. The embroidery on top of the canvas indicates the history of the place. Two symbols of prison semiotics are used: the hammer and sickle with the inscription "BOG," which stands for "Was Convicted by the State," and the skull, a symbol of anarchy and rejection of cooperation with government institutions.
The second prison is known for its horrifying detention conditions. Above the fortress walls, there are grids, a fundamental symbol of the prison alphabet. Both prisons emerged during the reign of Catherine the Great, the Great Colonizer, and became a fixture in Russian culture through chansons.
The first prison, Vladimir Central, housed spies, saboteurs, terrorists, Trotskyists, Mensheviks, Social Revolutionaries, anarchists, nationalists, and White emigrants. The embroidery on top of the canvas indicates the history of the place. Two symbols of prison semiotics are used: the hammer and sickle with the inscription "BOG," which stands for "Was Convicted by the State," and the skull, a symbol of anarchy and rejection of cooperation with government institutions.
The second prison is known for its horrifying detention conditions. Above the fortress walls, there are grids, a fundamental symbol of the prison alphabet. Both prisons emerged during the reign of Catherine the Great, the Great Colonizer, and became a fixture in Russian culture through chansons.
"Full of love" — traditional face tattoo, indicating a lifelong inmate, as there is no need to "preserve" a face that nobody will see beyond the colony walls
Left to right:
"Lived sinfully, will die humorously" (female tattoo)
Alcohol, violence, women — a thief’s creed
Tattoo for crimes against law enforcement officers
"Death to the prosecutor"
"БОГ" - "GOD" acronym for "Был Осужден Государством" - Was Convicted by the State
"Lived sinfully, will die humorously" (female tattoo)
Alcohol, violence, women — a thief’s creed
Tattoo for crimes against law enforcement officers
"Death to the prosecutor"
"БОГ" - "GOD" acronym for "Был Осужден Государством" - Was Convicted by the State
"Mother Kolyma, don’t destroy me."
Kolyma is a historical region that became a "pole of cold and cruelty" in the Gulag system, as described by Solzhenitsyn.
Kolyma is a historical region that became a "pole of cold and cruelty" in the Gulag system, as described by Solzhenitsyn.
"A snarl at the authorities."
"Оскал" (snarl) refers to a type of prison tattoo that depicts the snarling mouth of a tiger, wolf, or bear, and later, it was used to portray a defaced portrait of the head of state or other government representatives from the Central Committee (LIK). Snarls are primarily associated with the anti-Soviet sentiments of prisoners. Therefore, the snarl is embroidered over the Ekibastuz quarry, where a strike of prisoners occurred, well-known from the third volume of Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s "The Gulag Archipelago."
"Оскал" (snarl) refers to a type of prison tattoo that depicts the snarling mouth of a tiger, wolf, or bear, and later, it was used to portray a defaced portrait of the head of state or other government representatives from the Central Committee (LIK). Snarls are primarily associated with the anti-Soviet sentiments of prisoners. Therefore, the snarl is embroidered over the Ekibastuz quarry, where a strike of prisoners occurred, well-known from the third volume of Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s "The Gulag Archipelago."
"А.Л.Ж.И.Р."
stands for "Акмолинский лагерь жён изменников Родины" in Russian, which can be roughly translated to "Aktyubinsk Camp for Wives of Traitors to the Motherland." It was an informal name for the 17th female camp special department of the Karaganda Corrective Labor Camp in the Akmolinsk region of Kazakhstan (1938−1953). The camp often referred to as "АЛЖИР" or "ALZHIR" by the inmates themselves, was located in the midst of the Kazakh steppe and housed the widows of those who were executed as "traitors to the motherland" in 1937.
stands for "Акмолинский лагерь жён изменников Родины" in Russian, which can be roughly translated to "Aktyubinsk Camp for Wives of Traitors to the Motherland." It was an informal name for the 17th female camp special department of the Karaganda Corrective Labor Camp in the Akmolinsk region of Kazakhstan (1938−1953). The camp often referred to as "АЛЖИР" or "ALZHIR" by the inmates themselves, was located in the midst of the Kazakh steppe and housed the widows of those who were executed as "traitors to the motherland" in 1937.
"The Dead Road"
The Transpolar Railway, also known as the Stalinist "Construction of the Century," was a railway line along the Arctic Circle that turned out to be unnecessary. It was constructed by inmates (known as "zeki") from 1947 to 1953 under a shroud of complete secrecy. According to some estimates, around 300,000 prisoners were involved in the construction of the Transpolar Railway and every third person died there, on the construction site.
The Transpolar Railway, also known as the Stalinist "Construction of the Century," was a railway line along the Arctic Circle that turned out to be unnecessary. It was constructed by inmates (known as "zeki") from 1947 to 1953 under a shroud of complete secrecy. According to some estimates, around 300,000 prisoners were involved in the construction of the Transpolar Railway and every third person died there, on the construction site.
The acronym "СЛОН" is, а common tattoo in Russia, which originally stood for "Соловецкий Лагерь Особого Назначения" (Solovetsky Special Purpose Camp), the first camp in the history of the Gulag. Over time, the historical significance of the tattoo was forgotten and replaced with "Смерть Легавым OT Ножа" (Death to Legavys from a Knife). In this new meaning, the tattoo became associated with the "otryadki" or "otrizki," a caste of prisoners who refused cooperation with the authorities.
The acronym "БAPC" is also associated with a negative attitude towards any cooperation with prison authorities. It stands for "Бей Актив Реж Сук," where "Актив" and "Суки" refer to castes of prisoners who assist the prison administration.
"Death to the prosecutor."
This phrase is a tattoo of uncertain pre-revolutionary origin.
This phrase is a tattoo of uncertain pre-revolutionary origin.
In this pair, two of Russia’s oldest and most famous prisons are represented, Vladimir Central and Butyrka. They are known for housing political prisoners from one regime to another.
The first prison, Vladimir Central, housed spies, saboteurs, terrorists, Trotskyists, Mensheviks, Social Revolutionaries, anarchists, nationalists, and White emigrants. The embroidery on top of the canvas indicates the history of the place. Two symbols of prison semiotics are used: the hammer and sickle with the inscription "BOG," which stands for "Was Convicted by the State," and the skull, a symbol of anarchy and rejection of cooperation with government institutions.
The second prison is known for its horrifying detention conditions. Above the fortress walls, there are grids, a fundamental symbol of the prison alphabet. Both prisons emerged during the reign of Catherine the Great, the Great Colonizer, and became a fixture in Russian culture through chansons.
The first prison, Vladimir Central, housed spies, saboteurs, terrorists, Trotskyists, Mensheviks, Social Revolutionaries, anarchists, nationalists, and White emigrants. The embroidery on top of the canvas indicates the history of the place. Two symbols of prison semiotics are used: the hammer and sickle with the inscription "BOG," which stands for "Was Convicted by the State," and the skull, a symbol of anarchy and rejection of cooperation with government institutions.
The second prison is known for its horrifying detention conditions. Above the fortress walls, there are grids, a fundamental symbol of the prison alphabet. Both prisons emerged during the reign of Catherine the Great, the Great Colonizer, and became a fixture in Russian culture through chansons.
"Full of love" — traditional face tattoo, indicating a lifelong inmate, as there is no need to "preserve" a face that nobody will see beyond the colony walls
Left to right:
"Lived sinfully, will die humorously" (female tattoo)
Alcohol, violence, women — a thief’s creed
Tattoo for crimes against law enforcement officers
"Death to the prosecutor"
"БОГ" - "GOD" acronym for "Был Осужден Государством" - Was Convicted by the State
"Lived sinfully, will die humorously" (female tattoo)
Alcohol, violence, women — a thief’s creed
Tattoo for crimes against law enforcement officers
"Death to the prosecutor"
"БОГ" - "GOD" acronym for "Был Осужден Государством" - Was Convicted by the State
"Mother Kolyma, don’t destroy me."
Kolyma is a historical region that became a "pole of cold and cruelty" in the Gulag system, as described by Solzhenitsyn.
Kolyma is a historical region that became a "pole of cold and cruelty" in the Gulag system, as described by Solzhenitsyn.
"A snarl at the authorities."
"Оскал" (snarl) refers to a type of prison tattoo that depicts the snarling mouth of a tiger, wolf, or bear, and later, it was used to portray a defaced portrait of the head of state or other government representatives from the Central Committee (LIK). Snarls are primarily associated with the anti-Soviet sentiments of prisoners. Therefore, the snarl is embroidered over the Ekibastuz quarry, where a strike of prisoners occurred, well-known from the third volume of Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s "The Gulag Archipelago."
"Оскал" (snarl) refers to a type of prison tattoo that depicts the snarling mouth of a tiger, wolf, or bear, and later, it was used to portray a defaced portrait of the head of state or other government representatives from the Central Committee (LIK). Snarls are primarily associated with the anti-Soviet sentiments of prisoners. Therefore, the snarl is embroidered over the Ekibastuz quarry, where a strike of prisoners occurred, well-known from the third volume of Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s "The Gulag Archipelago."
"А.Л.Ж.И.Р."
stands for "Акмолинский лагерь жён изменников Родины" in Russian, which can be roughly translated to "Aktyubinsk Camp for Wives of Traitors to the Motherland." It was an informal name for the 17th female camp special department of the Karaganda Corrective Labor Camp in the Akmolinsk region of Kazakhstan (1938−1953). The camp often referred to as "АЛЖИР" or "ALZHIR" by the inmates themselves, was located in the midst of the Kazakh steppe and housed the widows of those who were executed as "traitors to the motherland" in 1937.
stands for "Акмолинский лагерь жён изменников Родины" in Russian, which can be roughly translated to "Aktyubinsk Camp for Wives of Traitors to the Motherland." It was an informal name for the 17th female camp special department of the Karaganda Corrective Labor Camp in the Akmolinsk region of Kazakhstan (1938−1953). The camp often referred to as "АЛЖИР" or "ALZHIR" by the inmates themselves, was located in the midst of the Kazakh steppe and housed the widows of those who were executed as "traitors to the motherland" in 1937.
"The Dead Road"
The Transpolar Railway, also known as the Stalinist "Construction of the Century," was a railway line along the Arctic Circle that turned out to be unnecessary. It was constructed by inmates (known as "zeki") from 1947 to 1953 under a shroud of complete secrecy. According to some estimates, around 300,000 prisoners were involved in the construction of the Transpolar Railway and every third person died there, on the construction site.
The Transpolar Railway, also known as the Stalinist "Construction of the Century," was a railway line along the Arctic Circle that turned out to be unnecessary. It was constructed by inmates (known as "zeki") from 1947 to 1953 under a shroud of complete secrecy. According to some estimates, around 300,000 prisoners were involved in the construction of the Transpolar Railway and every third person died there, on the construction site.
The acronym "СЛОН" is, а common tattoo in Russia, which originally stood for "Соловецкий Лагерь Особого Назначения" (Solovetsky Special Purpose Camp), the first camp in the history of the Gulag. Over time, the historical significance of the tattoo was forgotten and replaced with "Смерть Легавым OT Ножа" (Death to Legavys from a Knife). In this new meaning, the tattoo became associated with the "otryadki" or "otrizki," a caste of prisoners who refused cooperation with the authorities.
The acronym "БAPC" is also associated with a negative attitude towards any cooperation with prison authorities. It stands for "Бей Актив Реж Сук," where "Актив" and "Суки" refer to castes of prisoners who assist the prison administration.
"Death to the prosecutor."
This phrase is a tattoo of uncertain pre-revolutionary origin.
This phrase is a tattoo of uncertain pre-revolutionary origin.
In this pair, two of Russia’s oldest and most famous prisons are represented, Vladimir Central and Butyrka. They are known for housing political prisoners from one regime to another.
The first prison, Vladimir Central, housed spies, saboteurs, terrorists, Trotskyists, Mensheviks, Social Revolutionaries, anarchists, nationalists, and White emigrants. The embroidery on top of the canvas indicates the history of the place. Two symbols of prison semiotics are used: the hammer and sickle with the inscription "BOG," which stands for "Was Convicted by the State," and the skull, a symbol of anarchy and rejection of cooperation with government institutions.
The second prison is known for its horrifying detention conditions. Above the fortress walls, there are grids, a fundamental symbol of the prison alphabet. Both prisons emerged during the reign of Catherine the Great, the Great Colonizer, and became a fixture in Russian culture through chansons.
The first prison, Vladimir Central, housed spies, saboteurs, terrorists, Trotskyists, Mensheviks, Social Revolutionaries, anarchists, nationalists, and White emigrants. The embroidery on top of the canvas indicates the history of the place. Two symbols of prison semiotics are used: the hammer and sickle with the inscription "BOG," which stands for "Was Convicted by the State," and the skull, a symbol of anarchy and rejection of cooperation with government institutions.
The second prison is known for its horrifying detention conditions. Above the fortress walls, there are grids, a fundamental symbol of the prison alphabet. Both prisons emerged during the reign of Catherine the Great, the Great Colonizer, and became a fixture in Russian culture through chansons.
“Full of love” - traditional face tattoo, indicating a lifelong inmate, as there is no need to "preserve" a face that nobody will see beyond the colony walls
Left to right:
"Lived sinfully, will die humorously” (female tattoo)
Alcohol, violence, women - a thief's creed
Tattoo for crimes against law enforcement officers
"Death to the prosecutor”
"БОГ" - "GOD" acronym for "Был Осужден Государством" - Was Convicted by the State
"Lived sinfully, will die humorously” (female tattoo)
Alcohol, violence, women - a thief's creed
Tattoo for crimes against law enforcement officers
"Death to the prosecutor”
"БОГ" - "GOD" acronym for "Был Осужден Государством" - Was Convicted by the State
"Mother Kolyma, don’t destroy me."
Kolyma is a historical region that became a "pole of cold and cruelty" in the Gulag system, as described by Solzhenitsyn.
Kolyma is a historical region that became a "pole of cold and cruelty" in the Gulag system, as described by Solzhenitsyn.
"А.Л.Ж.И.Р."
stands for "Акмолинский лагерь жён изменников Родины" in Russian, which can be roughly translated to "Aktyubinsk Camp for Wives of Traitors to the Motherland." It was an informal name for the 17th female camp special department of the Karaganda Corrective Labor Camp in the Akmolinsk region of Kazakhstan (1938−1953). The camp often referred to as "АЛЖИР" or "ALZHIR" by the inmates themselves, was located in the midst of the Kazakh steppe and housed the widows of those who were executed as "traitors to the motherland" in 1937.
stands for "Акмолинский лагерь жён изменников Родины" in Russian, which can be roughly translated to "Aktyubinsk Camp for Wives of Traitors to the Motherland." It was an informal name for the 17th female camp special department of the Karaganda Corrective Labor Camp in the Akmolinsk region of Kazakhstan (1938−1953). The camp often referred to as "АЛЖИР" or "ALZHIR" by the inmates themselves, was located in the midst of the Kazakh steppe and housed the widows of those who were executed as "traitors to the motherland" in 1937.
The acronym "СЛОН" is, а common tattoo in Russia, which originally stood for "Соловецкий Лагерь Особого Назначения" (Solovetsky Special Purpose Camp), the first camp in the history of the Gulag. Over time, the historical significance of the tattoo was forgotten and replaced with "Смерть Легавым OT Ножа" (Death to Legavys from a Knife). In this new meaning, the tattoo became associated with the "otryadki" or "otrizki," a caste of prisoners who refused cooperation with the authorities.
The acronym "БAPC" is also associated with a negative attitude towards any cooperation with prison authorities. It stands for "Бей Актив Реж Сук," where "Актив" and "Суки" refer to castes of prisoners who assist the prison administration.
"Death to the prosecutor."
This phrase is a tattoo of uncertain pre-revolutionary origin.
This phrase is a tattoo of uncertain pre-revolutionary origin.
"Full of love" — traditional face tattoo, indicating a lifelong inmate, as there is no need to "preserve" a face that nobody will see beyond the colony walls
Left to right:
"Lived sinfully, will die humorously" (female tattoo)
Alcohol, violence, women — a thief’s creed
Tattoo for crimes against law enforcement officers
"Death to the prosecutor"
"БОГ" - "GOD" acronym for "Был Осужден Государством" - Was Convicted by the State
"Lived sinfully, will die humorously" (female tattoo)
Alcohol, violence, women — a thief’s creed
Tattoo for crimes against law enforcement officers
"Death to the prosecutor"
"БОГ" - "GOD" acronym for "Был Осужден Государством" - Was Convicted by the State
"A snarl at the authorities."
"Оскал" (snarl) refers to a type of prison tattoo that depicts the snarling mouth of a tiger, wolf, or bear, and later, it was used to portray a defaced portrait of the head of state or other government representatives from the Central Committee (LIK). Snarls are primarily associated with the anti-Soviet sentiments of prisoners. Therefore, the snarl is embroidered over the Ekibastuz quarry, where a strike of prisoners occurred, well-known from the third volume of Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s "The Gulag Archipelago."
"Оскал" (snarl) refers to a type of prison tattoo that depicts the snarling mouth of a tiger, wolf, or bear, and later, it was used to portray a defaced portrait of the head of state or other government representatives from the Central Committee (LIK). Snarls are primarily associated with the anti-Soviet sentiments of prisoners. Therefore, the snarl is embroidered over the Ekibastuz quarry, where a strike of prisoners occurred, well-known from the third volume of Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s "The Gulag Archipelago."
"The Dead Road"
The Transpolar Railway, also known as the Stalinist "Construction of the Century," was a railway line along the Arctic Circle that turned out to be unnecessary. It was constructed by inmates (known as "zeki") from 1947 to 1953 under a shroud of complete secrecy. According to some estimates, around 300,000 prisoners were involved in the construction of the Transpolar Railway and every third person died there, on the construction site.
The Transpolar Railway, also known as the Stalinist "Construction of the Century," was a railway line along the Arctic Circle that turned out to be unnecessary. It was constructed by inmates (known as "zeki") from 1947 to 1953 under a shroud of complete secrecy. According to some estimates, around 300,000 prisoners were involved in the construction of the Transpolar Railway and every third person died there, on the construction site.
In this pair, two of Russia’s oldest and most famous prisons are represented, Vladimir Central and Butyrka. They are known for housing political prisoners from one regime to another.
The first prison, Vladimir Central, housed spies, saboteurs, terrorists, Trotskyists, Mensheviks, Social Revolutionaries, anarchists, nationalists, and White emigrants. The embroidery on top of the canvas indicates the history of the place. Two symbols of prison semiotics are used: the hammer and sickle with the inscription "BOG," which stands for "Was Convicted by the State," and the skull, a symbol of anarchy and rejection of cooperation with government institutions.
The second prison is known for its horrifying detention conditions. Above the fortress walls, there are grids, a fundamental symbol of the prison alphabet. Both prisons emerged during the reign of Catherine the Great, the Great Colonizer, and became a fixture in Russian culture through chansons.
The first prison, Vladimir Central, housed spies, saboteurs, terrorists, Trotskyists, Mensheviks, Social Revolutionaries, anarchists, nationalists, and White emigrants. The embroidery on top of the canvas indicates the history of the place. Two symbols of prison semiotics are used: the hammer and sickle with the inscription "BOG," which stands for "Was Convicted by the State," and the skull, a symbol of anarchy and rejection of cooperation with government institutions.
The second prison is known for its horrifying detention conditions. Above the fortress walls, there are grids, a fundamental symbol of the prison alphabet. Both prisons emerged during the reign of Catherine the Great, the Great Colonizer, and became a fixture in Russian culture through chansons.
"Spite to the Motherland" is the motivation behind the creation of anti-Soviet tattoos in the labor camps of the repression era, where the final visual appearance and symbolic system of prison life were ultimately formed. In conditions of extreme freedom restriction, isolation from society, loved ones, the ability to communicate, receive parcels, under the regular blows of escorts, and amid exhausting inhumane labor for the inmate, the body became the last frontier of freedom, the opportunity for expression. Prison tattoos are primarily associated with criminal authorities who have built their small empires in this hell and evoke no sympathy. However, this language of signs and symbols has spread much more widely, even among prisoners outside the criminal caste. Through it, they could express their positions, attachments, and hatred of authority, condemning them to eternal suffering.
Historically, prisons in Russia did not educate but rather broke individuals. The conditions of transportation and detention from the very beginning worked to destroy human dignity and deprive them of respect for labor, personality, and especially for those in power. Power instills in them hatred and alienation from society. Power in a broad sense, because if we look back over the past couple of centuries, almost every tsar or party leader restricted any dissent and free speech. Vladimir Central, Crosses, Butyrka were havens for poets, writers, and revolutionaries. Then the revolutionaries came to power and did the same—imprisoning, exiling, and executing.
Prison culture, saturated with historical layers, coexists with civil culture but is in its shadow, seeping through songs, poems, and tattoos. Studying the meanings embedded in the drawings on the body, I discovered the terrible tragedy in which many people were immersed. In which my brother was immersed. Not everyone can break free from the chain of violence. Many trials befell my brother and my family. Thus, I came to the conclusion that the fate of prisoners in Russia needs to be talked about. A lot needs to be said.
Historically, prisons in Russia did not educate but rather broke individuals. The conditions of transportation and detention from the very beginning worked to destroy human dignity and deprive them of respect for labor, personality, and especially for those in power. Power instills in them hatred and alienation from society. Power in a broad sense, because if we look back over the past couple of centuries, almost every tsar or party leader restricted any dissent and free speech. Vladimir Central, Crosses, Butyrka were havens for poets, writers, and revolutionaries. Then the revolutionaries came to power and did the same—imprisoning, exiling, and executing.
Prison culture, saturated with historical layers, coexists with civil culture but is in its shadow, seeping through songs, poems, and tattoos. Studying the meanings embedded in the drawings on the body, I discovered the terrible tragedy in which many people were immersed. In which my brother was immersed. Not everyone can break free from the chain of violence. Many trials befell my brother and my family. Thus, I came to the conclusion that the fate of prisoners in Russia needs to be talked about. A lot needs to be said.
Publications
Imago Mundi Collection
АртГИД
Новосибирские новости
CyberLeninka
TeleType
Коммерсантъ
АртГИД
Новосибирские новости
CyberLeninka
TeleType
Коммерсантъ
Death of the Prosecutor, from the project Contrary to Motherland, dedicated to Prison Semiotics
Маяна Насыбуллова
48 часов: выставка «Назло родине» расскажет о тюремных татуировках
Перспективы развития «Сибирского иронического концептуализма». «Постсовесткий тотемизм» Маяны Насыбулловой
Янтарный мир и Ленин для души: творческий взгляд Маяны Насыбулловой
Актуальная архаика
Маяна Насыбуллова
48 часов: выставка «Назло родине» расскажет о тюремных татуировках
Перспективы развития «Сибирского иронического концептуализма». «Постсовесткий тотемизм» Маяны Насыбулловой
Янтарный мир и Ленин для души: творческий взгляд Маяны Насыбулловой
Актуальная архаика
Publications
Imago Mundi Collection:
Death of the Prosecutor, from the project Contrary to Motherland, dedicated to Prison Semiotics
АртГИД:
Маяна Насыбуллова
Новосибирские новости:
48 часов: выставка «Назло родине» расскажет о тюремных татуировках
CyberLeninka:
Перспективы развития «Сибирского иронического концептуализма». «Постсовесткий тотемизм» Маяны Насыбулловой
TeleType:
Янтарный мир и Ленин для души: творческий взгляд Маяны Насыбулловой
Коммерсантъ:
Актуальная архаика
Death of the Prosecutor, from the project Contrary to Motherland, dedicated to Prison Semiotics
АртГИД:
Маяна Насыбуллова
Новосибирские новости:
48 часов: выставка «Назло родине» расскажет о тюремных татуировках
CyberLeninka:
Перспективы развития «Сибирского иронического концептуализма». «Постсовесткий тотемизм» Маяны Насыбулловой
TeleType:
Янтарный мир и Ленин для души: творческий взгляд Маяны Насыбулловой
Коммерсантъ:
Актуальная архаика