Category Archives: Unit 12: Perestroika and the New Russia

Virgin Mary, Mother of God, become a feminist

Amidst Friday’s grab-bag of cultural material, the Pussy Riot video stood out the most to me, especially since it is so contemporary. By combining anti-Putin, LGBT, and feminist sentiments, the band was arrested outside of a church for asserting their beliefs.

I think what interested me most is that this protest highlights the tyranny of Russia for certain people that still exists today. In this class, we have read many texts and seen films depicting the struggles people have faced in exile, indoctrination, censorship, and countless other contentions. However, this riot is bold and courageous; though there is something deeply upsetting about seeing people having to go to extremes for equality (whether that be for women, queer people, etc.). Invoking God and, interestingly, the Virgin Mary as an icon for women, a savior, an insider, Pussy Riot dares to cause a storm in a country still struggling.

I found the parallel between Pussy Riot and the New Wave art, namely Chernyshev’s History of a Love, fascinating. Feminism in the culture we have studied has been present, but preliminary. This painting struck me. As Pussy Riot protested, Chernyshev painted a stark comparison, with a past female,  idealized, glowing, perky… With a modern woman posing next to an antiquated portrait, emotions rise — do you love her for being different? For being herself? Or do you hate her for being different?

historyofalove

The second half of the painting is strange and alarming, (and I could be totally wrong), but demonstrated to me the desire to pick and choose the parts society maintains of a woman.

A Refreshingly Positive Post

So I was going to write this post about the Menshov film Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears, but then I watched Cheburashka and fell in LOVE. Hear me out, because I have concocted a very positive analysis of this precious animated creature that I think will be a nice break from our usually (although beautiful) heavy and serious fodder.

Cheburashka is an adorable misfit. Overwhelmed with oranges, he toppled into a box, fell asleep, and was shipped to a grocer in what I assume is Moscow. He is brought around the city, trying to find a job. First of all, the fact that the film depicts Che and his soon-to-be-new-friend Gena as “working” in their jobs is so underrated — how civil is that?? But then again, these are fully functional walking, talking, pipe-smoking hybrid animals. The animals leave their jobs at the Zoo, which is a beautifully disillusioned idea that I am choosing not to pick apart.

When Gena puts out an ad for a friend, he is met with not one, not two, BUT THREE! I had the biggest smile on my face when Che confirms his fear (he doesn’t know what he is; neither does Gena’s big book), but he can still be their friend! On the surface, the newfound friends are just playing, but looking deeper, they are accepting differences and overcoming homogeneity.

The evil woman with the pet rat is clearly the moral antagonist, and yet, even she cannot stand in the way of the House of Friends being built. The end of this film absolutely wrecked me.

No matter how silly this short was, I absolutely adored it. This might not be the most serious post on the blog, but I certainly needed Cheburashka this week. We can talk about the gender roles of Moscow in class.