Reactions to the War as Identity Stories: Reflections of the Artists Aleksandr Brener, Alexey Kallima, Aslan Goisum on the Chechen War

Abstract

The article examines the pieces of art by artists Alexander Brener (1990s), Alexey Kallima (2000s) and Aslan Goisum (2010s) and their reception by art criticism and the public as evidence of the reaction of Russian society to the Chechen war. The Chechen war was a significant factor in the life of Russia, but how did the society react to the war and what will be the memory of it? Today different groups of war participants have different rights to represent their experience in the public space, the war is mainly described by its witnesses and publicists, and in public discussions, the position of only some social groups takes root today. The community of contemporary artists and the viewers of contemporary art are perceived as mnemonic actors, and the question arises of who has the right to testify about the war in creation and perception of art works on Chechen war and how the position and identity of the witness affect the image of the war he creates. Artists' stories show how the right to the memory of the Chechen war is consolidated not as a duty of the whole society, but as a part of the identity of a particular author.